• 


His  Majesty,  King  Chulalongkorn. 


• 


THE 


PEARL  OF  ASIA 


EEMINISCENCES   OF   THE  COUET  OF  A 
SUPEEME  MONAECH 


FIVE   YEAKS   IN   SIAM 


BT 


JACOB  T.  CHILD, 

Late  United  States  Minister  at  Bangkok. 


CHICAGO: 

DONOHUE,  HENNEBEEEY  &  CO, 
1892. 


PRESERVATION 
COPY  ADDED 
ORIGINAL  TO  BE 
RETAINED 


CARPENT1ER 


COPYRIGHTED,  1892, 

BY 

JACOB  T.  CHILD. 
The  Pearl  of  Asia. 


PREFACE. 


During  many  leisure  hours,  while  absent  amid  the 
sunny  glades  and  emerald  vales  of  Asia's  most  favored 
kingdom,  Siam,  I  made  numerous  notes  concerning 
that  land  of  mystic  lore  and  ruined  fanes,  a  section 
novel  to  all  who  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  have  vis- 
ited its  walled  city  with  its  hundred  glittering  spires, 
whose  temples  and  palaces  are  marvels  of  architectural 
beauty,  whose  wide-spreading  rice-fields  feed  untold 
millions,  its  groves  of  waving  palms  ever  ready  to  min- 
ister to  man's  wants,  its  rivers  and  canals  plethoric 
with  fish,  its  fruits  and  flowers  lavishly  luxuriant,  an 
Eden  of  loveliness,  the  land  of  the  lotus.  To  the  gen- 
eral reader  Siam  is  a  terra  incognita;  much  has  been 
written  concerning  it  by  superficial  observers,  who 
came  on  one  steamer  and  left  on  the  next.  What  has 
been  gathered  for  this  volume  has  been  carefully 
condensed  and  concisely  told.  It  was  my  intention 
when  appointed  Minister  to  the  Court  at  Bangkok,  by 
President  Cleveland,  to  prepare  a  work  on  this  far- 
away and  marvelous  land  that  might  prove  of  interest 
to  many  who  may  desire  to  know  something  of  a  peo- 
ple that  live  under  a  supreme  monarch  and  follow  the 
teaching  of  Buddha,  and  in  doing  so  I  have  endeavored 
to  hold  the  mirror  up  to  nature,  in  fact,  to  "  tell  the 
truth." 

Respectfully, 

JACOB  T.  CHILD. 

RICHMOND,  Mo.,  June  14,  1892. 


M188705 


\ 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 
I. 
Siam  Proper— The  Pearl  of  Asia 9 

II. 
Arrival  at  Bangkok — Scenery  on  the  Menam 22 

III. 
Reception  by  His  Majesty  King  Chulalongkorn 35 

IV. 
Characteristics  of  the  Country  and  Habits  of  the  People 40 

V. 

Ayuthia,  The  Ancient  Capital 73 

VI.  * 

Dining  with  the  King 86 

VII. 
Wonderful  Ruins  of  Angkor  and  Nagkon  Wat 91 

VIII. 
The  Supreme  Palace  and  Royal  Temples 102 

IX. 
Peculiar  Manner  of  Scaring  Away  the  Dragon 113 

X. 
The  Water  Rite M7 

XI. 
Ceremonies  of  Hair  Cutting 122 


Vi  CONTENTS. 

XII. 

Wat-Sa-Ket  and  the  Siamese  Golgotha 129 

XIII. 
A  Siamese  Execution 1 36 

XIV. 
Paddy  (Rice)  and  its  Cultivation V. 142 

XV. 
Excessive  Taxation  of  the  People 147 

XVI. 
The  King's  Instructions  to  His  Son 153 

XVII. 

Funeral  of  a  Chinese  Mandarin 161 

XVIII. 

Royal  Palaces  at  Bang-Pa-In  and  Ratburee 164 

XIX. 

The  Legal  Oath  Administered  to  Witnesses 173 

XX. 

Installation  of  The  Crown  Prince 176 

XXI. 

Prominent  Temples  and  Pagodas. 184 

XXII. 

Buddhism  in  Siam 194 

XXIII. 
A  Translation  from  the  Pongsawadan,  or  History  of  the  Kings 

of  Siam 224 

XXIV. 
"Taut  Katin,"or  Wat  Visiting 235 


CONTENTS.  Vi 

XXV. 

Grand  Display  of  the  Royal  Flotilla  on  the  Menam 239 

XXVI. 
The  Marriage  Ceremony  Among  the  Affluent 247 

XXVII. 
The  Attap  Palm,  Tong  Yang  and  Other  Trees 252 

XXVIII. 

Holidays  and  Festivals 260 

XXIX. 

Customs  of  the  Siamese  for  the  Dying  and  the  Dead — Crema- 
tion, etc 272"" 

XXX. 

Practice  of  Medicine— Native  Doctors 296 

XXXI. 

Siamese  Ploughs,  Ox- Yokes,  and  Harrows 310 

XXXII. 

Brief  Synopsis  of  Siamese  History — A  Translation 314 

XXXIII. 
Fac  Simile  of  Copy  of  His  Majesty's  Speech  with  Translation. ..  320 

XXXIV. 

His  Majesty's  Birthday  Festivities 321 

XXXV. 

The  Money  Standard  of  Siam 326 

XXXVI. 

The  Press  of  Siam 329 

XXXVII. 

A  Visit  to  Petchaburee;    Its  Palace— The  Holy  Mountain  and 
Laos  Village 333 


ILLTJSTKATIONS. 


PAGE. 

1.  His  Majesty,  King  Chulalongkorn Contents. 

2.  Temple  at  the  Mouth  of  the  Menam .' 22 

3.  The  King's  Garden... 32 

4.  River  View  of  Portion  of  Bangkok 36 

5.  Native  House  in  the  Interior , 40 

6.  Scientific  Class  at  Sandalay  College 44 

7.  Her  Majesty,  the  Supreme  or  Celestial  Queen 49 

8.  Fruits  of  Siam '. 63 

9.  Floating  Houses  on  the  Menam 73 

10.  Ruins  of  Nagkon  Wat. . , 91 

11.  The  Supreme  Palace  of  the  King 102 

12.  Wat  Pherce  Kea,  or  Temple  of  the  Emerald  Idol 104 

13.  Imperial  Altar  and  Emerald  Idol 113 

14.  Wat  Sa-Ket,  or  Gold  Mountain 127 

15.  Court- Yard  of  Bangkok's  Golgotha 136 

16.  Residence  of  the  American  Minister  in  Bangkok 161 

17.  Ruins  in  Ayuthia 164 

18.  Prisoners  Working  in  Teak  Lumber  Yard 173 

19.  The  Crown  Prince,  Heir  Apparent  to  the  Throne 176 

20.  Golden  Temple  and  Flotilla  on  the  Menam 180 

21.  Prabat  or  Temple  of  Footsteps  of  Buddha 184 

22.  Brass  Idol  in  Temple,  Bangkok 187 

23.  Grand  Temple  at  Phra  Pratom 191 

24.  Elephant  Procession  in  Stone 194 

25.  The  High  Priest  of  Siam 224 

26.  Bird's-eye  View  of  the  Palace  Grounds  and  Wall 235 

27.  A  Nobleman  and  his  Family 253 

28.  Royal  Premain,  or  Cremation  Building 272 

29.  Native  Bullock  Carts  and  Ox  Yokes 310 

30.  Scene  on  the  Canal 314 

31.  Fac  Simile  of  his  Majesty's  Speech 321 

32.  Interior  of  the  Throne  Room. .  ...   326 


viii 


THE  PEARL  OF  ASIA. 


I. 

SIAM  PROPER— THE  PEARL. OF  ASIA. 

By  reference  to  the  map  it  will  be  found  that  Siam 
is  an  extensive  kingdom  of  southeastern  Asia,  contain- 
ing an  area  of  about  250,000  square  miles.  In  the  north 
the  country  is  mountainous,  but  it  stretches  toward  the 
south  into  well- watered  fertile  plains  on  which  are 
raised  large  crops  of  paddy  (rice),  the  principal  article 
of  export ;  the  next  article  of  importance  is  teak  wood, 
obtained  from  the  forests  in  the  interior  and  rafted 
down  the  river.  Sugar  cane,  pepper,  teal  seed  and 
fruit  trees  are  also  largely  cultivated. 

The  government  is  an  absolute  monarchy,  nominally 
hereditary,  but  the  sovereign  H.  M.  Phrabat  Somdetch 
Phra  Paramendr  Chulalongkorn  is  invested  with  the 
power  of  appointing  his  successor.  A  Council  of 
Ministers  (Senabodie),  with  the  King  at  its  head,  exer- 
cises the  legislative  power.  There  is  also  a  Council  of 
State  which  consists  of  the  Ministers,  ten  to  twenty 
members  appointed  by  the  King  and  six  Princes  of  the 
royal  house.  For  administrative  purposes  the  kingdom 
is  divided  into  forty-one  provinces,  each  presided  over 
by  a  Governor  appointed  by  the  King.  The  prevailing 
religion  is  Buddhism,  the  King  being  at  the  head  of 
the  church,  but  perfect  freedom  is  allowed  to  Christian 
missionaries,  Mahometans  and  all  others.  The  King's 
revenue  has  been  estimated  at  about  $10,000,000  a 

year,  derived  chiefly  from  land  tax,  spirits,  opium, 

9 


10  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

gambling,  customs,  tin  mines,  fruit  tree  tax,  fisheries 
and  many  others,  a  full  list  of  which  will  be  found 
elsewhere.  With  the  exception  of  custom  duties  all 
the  taxes  are  farmed,  sold  to  the  highest  bidder.  The 
expenditures  are  stated  to  be  less  than  the  receipts  ; 
also,  the  exports  less  than  the  imports,  hence  the 
country  is  prosperous  and  it  has  no  public  debt.  The 
population  is  estimated  at  about  ten  millions,  but  no 
census  has  ever  been  taken.  There  is  a  small  standing 
army,  as  also  a  militia ;  every  male  inhabitant,  with 
certain  exceptions,  above  the  age  of  twenty-one,  is 
obliged  to  serve  in  the  army  for  three  months  in  the 
year.  The  navy  consists  of  a  few  steam-corvettes 
and  gun-boats  under  the  command  of  Commodore 
De  Richelieu,  a  Dane.  The  king's  yacht,  the  Yesatre, 
a  handsome  vessel,  was  lost  a  short  time  before  I  left 
the  Kingdom. 

Trade  and  industry  are  in  a  backward  condition, 
owing  to  the  state  of  serfdom  in  which  the  people  are 
kept  by  the  feudal  owners  of  the  land.  The  natives 
are  liable  to  forced  labor  (corvee)  for  several  months 
during  the  year,  and  this  prevents  much  of  the  land 
being  put  in  cultivation,  probably  not  over  one-twen- 
tieth of  the  available  land  being  utilized  for  agricul- 
tural purposes ;  many  broad  acres  of  the  very  best  are 
held  by  the  priests  for  religious  purposes,  the  wat 
grounds  being  considered  the  choicest  in  the  kingdom 
and  are  to  be  found  in  every  available  spot.  There  is 
a  Postal  and  Telegraphic  service  in  Bangkok.  In  1885 
Siam  joined  the  International  Postal  Union,  and  these 
affairs  are  well  managed.  The  foreign  trade  of  Siam, 
in  the  hands  of  foreigners,  mainly  centers  in  Bangkok, 
but  considerable  tin  is  now  being  shipped  from  the 


THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA.  11 

Malay  peninsula.  Two  telegraph  lines  connect  Bang- 
kok with  the  outer  world,  one  with  Burmah  and  the 
other  via  Saigon,  both  in  good  order,  but  the  latter 
was  for  some  time  rendered  useless,  as  the  Cambodian 
insurgents  pulled  down  the  wire  and  cut  it  up  for  slugs 
for  their  rifles. 

The  export  of  rice  is  yearly  increasing,  but  for  the 
past  two  years  the  crops,  owing  to  excessive  drouths, 
have  been  partial  failures  notwithstanding  considerable 
new  land  has  been  brought  under  cultivation  in  the 
delta  of  the  Menam.  The  teak  trade  has  not  been 
profitable  for  the  past  two  years,  as  the  demand  for  it 
in  Europe  has  been  limited.  Numbers  of  cattle  are 
annually  shipped  to  Singapore  from  Bangkok,  and  the 
export  to  Burmah  is  very  large,  exceeding  50.000  head 
a  year.  Immense  numbers  of  fine  cattle  can  be  found 
throughout  Siam,  and  the  prices  in  the  interior  are 
very  low,  the  value  of  a  good  cow  with  its  calf  being 
five  ticals  or  three  dollars.  When  the  road  to,  Khorat 
is  completed,  opening  up  the  interior,  this  will  cause 
an  advance  in  price  and  an  increase  in  the  industry. 
The  platu,  Siamese  herring,  has  heretofore  been  an 
article  of  export,  but  their  scarcity  the  past  few  years 
has  been  coincident  with  the  lowness  of  the  river,  and 
they  now  fail  to  congregate  in  immense  shoals  at  the 
head  of  the  gulf  of  Siam,  as  has  been  the  case  heretofore 
during  the  last  three  months  of  the  year.  It  is  supposed 
that  the  rivers,  when  in  full  flood,  bring  down  vegetable 
matter  especially  attractive  as  food  for  this  species  of 
fish.  An  abundant  supply  of  salt  is  always  procurable, 
obtained  by  evaporating  sea  water,  and  on  the  coast  is 
principally  used  in  the  preparation  of  platu  for  export ; 
it  also  forms  an  important  article  of  the  up  country 


12  THE   PEAKL   OF    ASIA. 

trade.  The  Chinese  population  of  Bangkok,  number- 
ing about  one-third  of  its  citizens,  use  large  quantities 
of  flour  which  is  imported  from  San  Francisco,  via 
Hong  Kong,  also  American  canned  goods.  Lines  of 
steamers  ply  between  Bangkok  and  Hong  Kong,  and 
from  Bangkok  to  Singapore,  which  carry  the  mails 
and  do  a  prosperous  business. 

To  Maj.  James  McCarthy,  whose  Siamese  title  is 
Phra  Wibharg  Bhuvadal,  Superintendent  of  the  Sur- 
vey Department,  we  are  indebted  for  much  of  the  fol- 
lowing information  concerning  this  magnificent  king- 
dom, he  having  traversed  most  portions  of  it,  visiting 
parts  that  no  white  man  had  hitherto  penetrated,  for 
the  purpose  of  preparing  a  correct  map  of  Siam  and 
its  tributaries.  Occupying  the  heart  of  Indo-China 
and  nearly  the  whole  of  the  Malay  peninsula,  it  has  a 
seaboard  sweeping  round  the  Gulf  of  Siam  from  about 
the  4th  degree  of  latitude  on  the  Malay  side  to  about 
the  llth  degree  of  latitude  on  the  Cambodian  side,  a 
distance  of  nearly  1,200  miles.  The  great  feature  of 
Siam  proper  is  its  magnificent  system  of  rivers,  the 
principal  of  which  is  the  Menam  Chow-Phya,  on  which 
Bangkok  is  located  thirty-five  miles  from  the  gulf. 
This  river  is  commonly  called  the  Menam,  which  is  a 
generic  name  for  all  large  rivers,  Me  meaning  mother, 
and  Nam  water.  About  one  hundred  miles  from 
the  sea  there  is  a  bifurcation  of  the  river,  both 
branches  flowing  through  rich  alluvial  soil  devoted  to 
rice  cultivation,  the  banks  being  well  studded  with 
thriving  villages.  Toward  the  delta,  formed  by  the 
bifurcation  of  the  river,  two  large  streams  converge, 
the  Meklong,  from  the  Burmese  frontier  on  the  north- 
west and  the  Bangpakong  from  the  hills  on  the  Khorat 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA. 


13 


plateau;  both  empty  themselves  into  the  head  of  the 
Gulf  of  Siam.  All  these  rivers  are  connected  by  navi- 
gable canals,  thus  enabling  the  Siamese  to  travel  by 
boat  to  Bangkok.  The  rivers  and  canals  are  always 
alive  with  boats  and  rafts  of  teak  wood  and  bamboo. 
The  country  is  subject  to  a  yearly  inundation,  and 
unless  the  rivers  overflow  their  banks  a  short  rice  crop 
is  expected,  as  the  planters  rely  on  irrigation.  The 
May-Nam-Kong  flows  through  the  Northern  and 
Eastern  parts  of  the  kingdom,  receiving  the  waters  of 
many  affluents,  but  the  channel  of  this  mighty  river  is 
so  blocked  with  large  rocks  and  cataracts  that  its  navi- 
gation is  difficult  and  in  some  parts  impossible  even  for 
the  light  native  crafts.  From  the  northeast  of  Chieng- 
mai  two  ranges  of  mountains  branch  off,  one  running 
south  in  an  unbroken  chain  through  the  Malay  penin- 
sula to  Singapore ;  some  of  its  peaks  between  Siam  and 
Burmah  rise  to  the  height  of  7,000  feet,  one  in  the 
Malay  peninsula  reaches  8,000  feet ;  the  other  range 
follows  the  course  of  the  May-Nam-Kong,  first  running 
east  and  west  and  then  in  a  southerly  direction  toward 
Cambodia.  Siam  proper  is  mostly  flat,  diversified  by 
isolated  hills  and  broken  and  jagged  ridges  of  limestone 
mountains.  Its  population  is  a  mingling  of  all  Eastern 
nationalities :  Siamese,  Cambodians,  Burmans,  Annam- 
ites,  Malays  and  Chinese;  the  latter  swarm  all  over  the 
country  and  seem  to  the  manor  born.  The  portion  of 
the  country  that  is  administered  by  the  Central  govern- 
ment includes  the  greater  part  of  the  Malay  penin- 
sula and  the  larger  portion  of  the  Menam  and  the  May- 
Nam-Kong  valley.  Some  Malay,  Lao  and  Cambodian 
States  are  only  tributary,  that  is,  they  make  offerings  of 
gold  and  silver  flowers  to  the  King  at  Bangkok.  Each 


14  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

ruler  of  .these  States  is  appointed  by  the  King  and  he 
exercises  considerable  power  in  his  own  province.  The 
most  important  of  the  tributary  States  are  those  of  the 
Lao,  which  are  now  under  the  complete  control  of  the 
Bangkok  government ;  they  occupy  the  mountainous 
country  to  the  North  and  have  a  fine  climate.  Those 
in  the  valley  of  the  Men  am  are  known  as  the  Lao 
Phoong  Dam  (black-bellies),  because  they  tattoo  their 
waist  to  the  knee,  and  those  in  the  valley  of  the  May- 
Nam-Kongare  known  as  Lao  Phoong  Khao  (white- 
bellies),  as  they  do  not  tattoo  themselves.  The  Lao 
very  much  resemble  their  brethren  of  Siam  proper, 
speaking  the  same  dialect,  and  those  of  the  valley  of  the 
May-Nam-Kong  bear  a  strong  resemblance  in  every 
particular;  many  of  the  words  peculiar  to  the  Lao  in 
ordinary  conversation  are  said  to  be  used  in  Siamese 
poetry,  the  accent  being  different. 

Lying  between  the  parallels  of  4  deg.  and  23  deg. 
north  latitude,  Siam  has  but  two  seasons,  distinctly 
determined  by  the  monsoons.  The  southwest  monsoon, 
bringing  with  it  rain,  prevails  from  May  until  Septem- 
ber, but  the  high  mountain  range  running  on  the  west, 
from  north  to  south,  prevents  the  excessive  rainfall 
experienced  on  the  Burman  coast.  From  September  until 
Februarv  the  northeast  monsoon  blows,  and  from 
November  to  February  dry  weather  proper  and  cool 
breezes  prevail,  rendering  traveling  all  over  the  king- 
dom enjoyable  and  pleasant.  From  the  middle  of  Feb- 
ruary until  the  rain  sets  in  the  heat  is  oppressive,  but 
even  at  this  period  the  thermometer  seldom  rises  higher 
than  97  degrees  in  Bangkok;  though,  once  or  twice,  I 
have  seen  it  up  to  100  deg.  In  the  winter  it  occasion- 
ally falls  to  60  deg.  In  the  interior  of  the  country,  at 


THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA.  15 

places  of  low  elevation,  the  heat  is  intense,  sometimes 
rising  to  110  deg.;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  at  the  same 
places  in  winter  the  mercury  falls  as  low  as  45  deg. 
The  annual  rainfall  in  Bangkok  is  about  sixty  inches, 
but  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  judging  from  the 
inundations  of  the  river,  it  must  be  a  great  deal  more. 
Malarial  fever  is  a  common  complaint.  Cholera  is 
more  prevalent  in  Lower  than  Upper  Siam,  being  rarely 
absent.  Small-pox  is  common  and  His  Majesty  sends 
native  physicians  throughout  the  kingdom  to  vaccinate 
the  people,  believing  in  its  mitigating  influence,  and 
much  good  has  been  effected  thereby.  A  small-pox 
ward  1ms  been  established  at  the  Wang  Lang  hospital. 
The  Siamese  use  principally  herbal  medicines,  some  of 
them  very  effective.  Among  the  Laos  superstition 
attributes  much  of  the  sickness  to  the  influence  of  evil 
spirits.  The  different  classes  of  Lao  take  opposite 
views  of  the  influence  of  the  spirits.  When  a  person 
falls  sick  among  the  Phoong  Dam  the  spirit  docto^  is 
sent  for  who  questions  the  patient,  frequently  in  a  rag- 
ing fever,  as  to  who  caused  his  sickness,  and  woe  be  to 
the  unhappy  individual,  whether  manor  woman,  whose 
name  may  be  mentioned.  He  is  expelled  from  the  village 
community  as  being  possessed  by  the  evil  spirit  who 
has  caused  the  sickness,  his  house  is  burnt  down  and  he 
is  forced  to  live  at  some  distant  village  expressly  set 
apart  for  all  possessed.  With  the  Phoong  Khaoit  is 
different ;  to  be  possessed  by  a  spirit  is  a  great  priv- 
ilege. The  Governors  and  everyone  who  can  afford  it 
has  his  spirit  man ;  nothing  important  is  undertaken 
without  consulting  him.  He  usually  begins  by  work- 
ing himself  into  a  fit,  then  asks  for  a  substantial  meal 
and  drink  of  samshoo,  rice  whisky,  and  is  then  pre- 


16  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

pared  to  answer  questions,  drinking  enough  to  put  him 
to  sleep  and  when  he  awakes  pretends  to  a  total  ignor- 
ance of  all  that  has  taken  place,  a  practice  in  vogue 
with  our  clairvoyants. 

The  inhabitants  of  Siam  are  for  the  most  part  agri- 
cultural, their  towns  merely  clusters  of  villages  and 
hamlets,  consisting  of  wooden  and  bamboo  houses  and 
huts  thickly  settled  on  the  river  banks.  The  capitals 
of  Siam  have  always  been  noted  for  the  beauty  and 
magnificence  of  their  palaces  and  temples.  From 
Chieng  Sen  in  the  north,  the  southward  march  of  the 
Siamese  is  traced  by  the  magnificent  ruins  of  the 
temples  of  the  capitals  of  different  periods.  Bangkok, 
the  present  capital,  is  the  site  of  the  eighth  capital  since 
Chieng  Sen,  which,  to  some  extent,  supports  the  Sia- 
mese in  their  claim  to  a  history  extending  many 
hundred,  years  back.  In  Bangkok  the  royal  palace  and 
temples  surpass  all  other  buildings  in  richness  and 
grandeur,  as  can  be  seen  by  illustrations. 

When  Ayuthia  was  abandoned  Bangkok  became  the 
capital,  and  it  was  here  that  the  present  dynasty  made 
it  the  seat  of  royalty,  and  it  is  here  that  the  king  pre- 
sides over  his  councils  and  became  one  of  the  great 
reformers  of  the  East  by  issuing  his  famous  edicts 
abolishing  slavery,  thus  placing  Siam  on  a  footing  with 
the  more  advanced  nations.  Outside  the  palace  walls 
and  within  the  city,  besides  the  numerous  temples  and 
glittering  pagodas,  are  many  excellent  buildings.  The 
foreign  representatives  live  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
river  and  have  handsome  residences  generally.  The 
river  itself  presents  a  busy  scene.  The  population  of  the 
city  is  variously  estimated  from  seven  to  eight  hundred 
thousand  inhabitants.  Khorat  is  the  next  most  impor- 


THE  PEARL   OF   ASIA.  17 

tant  city;  it  is  a  crenelated  walled  place,  the  walls 
crumbling  down,  about  three  miles  round,  built  at  an 
elevation  of  750  feet  above  mean  sea-level,  and  is  one  of 
the  most  important  places  in  the  valley  of  the  May-Nam- 
Kong.  The  district  is  famous  for  the  stupendous  ruins 
of  stone  temples,  the  same  in  design  and  construction 
as  those  found  in  Cambodia  and  Borroboodur  in  Java. 
Nothing,  as  is  the  case  at  Ankor,  can  be  discovered  as 
to  the  builders,  all  knowledge  of  them  seems  to  have 
been  lost  in  the  past.  Outside  the  city  walls  is  a  colony 
of  Chinese  who  carry  on  all  the  trade  of  the  district. 
Chiengmai,  or,  as  it  is  called  in  Burma,  Zimme,  is  one  of 
the  most  important  towns  in  the  Lao  Phoong  Dam 
country,  a  walled  city,  about  five  miles  round,  situated 
at  an  elevation  of  1000  feet  on  the  Me-Ping,  or  north- 
western branch  of  the  Menam,  a  place  of  considerable 
business  and  the  headquarters  of  the  Presbyterian 
missionaries  in  the  Lao  states,  who  are  accomplishing 
considerable  good  with  their  schools  and  hospitals.  An 
English  vice-consulate 'has  been  established  there.  It  is 
in  direct  communication,  by  boat,  with  Bangkok,  but  the 
journey  is  a  tedious  one,  taking  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances as  many  as  fifty  days ;  its  daily  market  is  an 
interesting  sight,  mostly  managed  by  women,  of  whom 
at  least  fifteen  hundred  are  employed.  Salt  is  very 
scarce  and  it  is  gladly  taken  instead  of  money.  Among 
those  who  throng  the  market,  besides  the  usual  Bur- 
man  traders,  found  all  over  Indo-China,  may  be  seen 
Llwas  and  Moosars,  members  of  interesting  hill  tribes, 
the  supposed  aborigines  of  the  country.  The  former 
occupy  themselves  peacefully  in  iron  smelting;  the 
latter  are  more  retired  and  live  by  their  bows  and 
arrows  on  almost  inaccessible  mountain  tops,  having  but 


18  THE    PEAKL    OF    ASIA. 

little  to  do  with  their  neighbors.  Luang  Phrabang  is  the 
principal  town  of  the  Lao  Phoong  Khao  country,  and 
is  on  the  May-Nam-Kong,  at  an  elevation  of  about  one 
thousand  feet  above  sea-level.  A  short  time  since, 
during  the  late  troubles,  this  once  powerful  city  was 
almost  entirely  destroyed  by  Black  Flags,  who  had  to 
be  driven  back  over  the  border.  It  is  very  picturesquely 
located  at  the  junction  of  the  Nam-Kan,  and  May-Nam- 
Kong,  and  surrounds  a  small  hill.  The  river,  which  is  a 
thousand  yards  broad,  is  closed  in  on  all  sides  by  high 
hills  and  presents  the  appearance  of  a  lake,  the  scenery 
being  very  romantic. 

From  the  Malay  peninsula  tin,  lead,  gold  and  rubber 
are  exported.  The  gold,  worked  only  by  Chinamen,  is 
found  in  alluvial  deposits  near  the  heads  of  the  largest 
rivers  m  the  peninsula,  all  rising  near  the  same  moun- 
tain, the  highest  in  Maloga,  about  8,000  feet  above  the 
sea-level.  This  mountain  is  now  the  chief  home  of  the 
few  remaining  groups  of  Oorang  Utan,  or  wild  men, 
the  aborigines  of  that  section,  after  which  a  species  of 
long-armed  apes  have  been  named.  The  Lao  country 
is  that  portion  of  the  Kingdom  with  the  greatest  trade 
resources  which  are  in  no  way  developed.  The  prin- 
cipal drawback  to  the  development  of  trade  is  the  want 
of  improved  communications;  the  chief  means  at  pres- 
ent is  by  the  river,  a  comfortable  enough  method  for 
holiday  seekers,  but  not  sufficient  for  this  pushing  age. 
In  the  Lao  country  elephants,  bullocks,  mules,  donkeys 
and  carriers  are  to  be  met  with  in  all  directions  carry- 
ing the  produce  of  the  country ;  the  mules  and  donkeys 
come  from  Yunnan,  usually  ladened  with  opium.  The 
carriers  accompany  the  Burmese  peddlers,  who,  with 
their  wares  spread  all  over  the  Lao  country,  have 


THE   PEARL   OF  ASIA.  19 

made  the  Indian  rupee  the  current  coin  nearly  to  the 
gulf  of  Tongking.  They  mostly  carry  raw  silk  and  gum 
benjamin  which  they  exchange  for  European  goods 
at  Maulmain.  Me  Ung,  a  tea  that  grows  indiginously 
all  over  the  Lao  country,  is  an  article  of  local  traffic. 
To  improve  the  communications  of  the  country  by 
railways  has  been  the  life-long  idea  of  the  King  and 
the  Government,  and  at  last  His  Majesty  has  entered 
into  a  contract  with  an  English  company  to  build  a 
road  from  Bangkok  to  Khorat,  a  distance  of  about 
three  hundred  miles,  at  his  expense,  which  will  be 
extended  to  the  frontier  should  business  justify  it. 
Another  road  is  also  under  construction,  from  Bangkok 
to  Chanta  Boon,  a  thriving  place  on  the  coast  of  the 
gulf. 

Buddhism  is  the  national  faith  and  by  many  consid- 
ered merely  a  religion  of  philosophy,  while  some  of 
the  more  advanced  and  learned  Siamese  claim  that  the 
late  Professor  Darwin  and  many  of  the  liberal  Pro- 
fessors of  the  present  day  are  real  Buddhists.  In  the 
Lao  country,  however,  spirit  worship  has  crept,  into 
their  religion  to  a  considerable  extent.  Spirits  disport 
themselves  everywhere,  but  the  tops  of  trees  are  the 
favorite  haunt,  and  one  very  often  sees  all  manner  of 
offerings  placed  at  the  foot  of  gigantic  forest  trees  to 
propitiate  them.  There  are  numerous  temples,  monas- 
teries and  excellent  rest  houses  (salas),  built  from 
motives  of  charity  for  weary  travelers.  The  monasteries 
contain  scores  of  yellow-robed  priests  or  monks ;  they 
keep  their  heads  shaven,  even  their  eyebrows,  and  eat 
but  one  meal  a  day,  which  they  must  go  out  and  beg 
for  in  the  early  morning.  They  practice  celibacy,  but 
are  at  liberty  to  leave  the  monastic  life  when  they  feel 


20  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

i 

so  inclined.  Every  man  in  the  Kingdom,  including  the 
King,  must,  after  the  age  of  twenty-one,  enter  the 
priesthood  for  at  least  a  short  period.  With  the  numer- 
ous monasteries  in  the  country  no  one  need  starve,  and 
thousands  of  indolent  men  and  boys  seek  the  wats  for 
rice,  and  the  priests  always  supply  them  with  food.  A 
man  going  to  sleep  hungry  in  Siam  is  unheard  of, 
except  under  extraordinary  circumstances,  such  as  being 
confined  in  prison  or  lost  in  the  jungle. 

To  the  Governors  and  Judges  appointed  by  the  King 
are  delegated  the  administration  of  justice,  such  as  it  is. 
The  laws  are  now  being  codified  and  many  of  them 
excellent,  especially  in  regard  to  the  sale  and  transfer 
of  property.  If  interest  is  not  collected  on  a  mortgage 
for  six  years  the  interest  then  ceases  and  persons  holding 
property  for  ten  years  without  paying  rent  become  the 
owners.  There  is  no  usury  law  and  money  brings  what 
a  person  can  get  for  it,  but  the  regular  rate  of  interest  is 
from  ten  to  twelve  per  cent.  Disorder  is  of  rare  occur- 
rence among  the  Siamese  proper,  the  people  being  noted 
for  a  love  of  peace  and  quiet ;  but  when  they  become 
aroused,  as  was  the  case  lately  near  Changmai,  they 
can  become  decidedly  belligerent,  but  the  Government 
crushed  the  movement  with  a  strong  hand,  beheaded 
several  of  the  leaders,  and  the  people  returned  to  work. 
In  Nan,  one  of  the  Lao  provinces,  the  punishment  for 
theft  is  death,  and  one's  property  can  literally  be  left 
on  the  highway  without  the  slightest  danger  of  anyone 
interfering  with  it.  In  support  of  this  rigorous  law  the 
Governor  of  Nan  informed  me  that  it  was  only  about 
once  in  three  years  the  services  of  an  executioner  was 
needed,  whereas  in  other  states,  where  such  a  law  is  not 
in  force,  many  lives  were  annually  lost  through  rob- 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA.  21 

bery,  as  the  people  were  powerless  to  protect  them- 
selves, having  no  firearms. 

As  a  general  thing,  the  Judges  and  officials  are  igno- 
rant and  incompetent,  frequently  corrupt,'no  one  hav- 
ing any  confidence  in  their  decisions  ;  "  squeezing,"  as 
it  is  termed  in  the  East,  having  been  reduced  to  a  fine 
art.  At  times  prisoners  are  tortured,  to  make  them 
confess,  by  mashing  their  fingers  till  the  nails  come  off, 
applying  a  bamboo  band  around  the  head  to  which  is 
attached  a  handle  which,  being  struck,  the  vibration 
causes  the  most  intense  agony,  the  Siamese  term  it 
"death,"  whipping  with  a  bamboo,  the  victim  being 
stretched  out  on  the  ground,  face  down,  with  a  man 
holding  his  arms  and  another  his  feet,  stretching  him 
out  his  full  length,  and  then  the  executioner  almost 
flays  him  alive,  his  weapon  a  piece  of  bamboo  about 
four  feet  in  length  and  three  inches  in  width,  which 
cuts  like  a  knife  when  it  strikes  the  tightly  drawn  skin. 
With  the  advance  of  western  ideas  this  is  rapidly  being 
abolished,  though  at  times  the  jailers  treat  their  pris- 
oners brutally. 


II. 

AEEIYAL  AT  BANGKOK— SCENEKY  ON  THE 
MENAM. 

A  gentle  zephyr  swept  over  the  sparkling  wafers  of 
the  Siamese  gulf  as  the  Taichow  gracefully  steamed 
across  the  bar  that  guards  the  mouth  of  the  Menam 
Chow  Pyah,  the  main  river  of  the  last  of  the  oriental 
kingdoms,  Siam,  to  most  of  the  world  a  terra  incognita. 
It  was  a  lovely  evening;  the  sun  was  slowly  sinking 
into  a  bed  of  crimson,  canopied  by  clouds  of  gorgeous 
coloring,  rimmed  in  with  pearliest  of  skies,  while 
emblazoned  on  the  eastern  heavens  hung  a  perfect 
rainbow,  spanning  the  river  that  seemed  to  spring  from 
groves  of  palm  which  laved  their  roots  in  the  fast- 
flowing  stream ;  an  hour  and  a  scene  in  keeping  with 
the  end  of  a  voyage  from  the  Occident  to  the  orient, 
from  land  of  pine  to  land  of  palm.  Sweeping  round 
the  bend  of  the  river,  about  five  miles  from  its  mouth, 
a  panorama  of  supernal  loveliness  burst  upon  the 
view,  riveting  the  attention  of  the  most  stolid,  and 
making  a  deep  impress  upon  all  on  board.  In  the 
midst  of  the  river  and  near  a  large  fort,  rose  majesti- 
cally from  the  water  one  of  the  most  unique  and 
artistic  temples  or  wats  (as  they  are  termed  in  Siam), 
in  the  realms  of  Buddhistic  worshipers,  a  poem  of 
architectural  sublimity.  The  structure,  which  covers 
at  least  one  acre  of  ground,  is  as  white  as  if  hewn 
from  Pentellicus,  and  its  airy  spire  and  lace-like  halls 
and  corridors,  as  seen  in  the  gloaming,  seemed  to  be 


THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA.  23 

the  work  of  genii.  It  completely  covers  the  island  on 
which  it  is  built,  and  thus  has  the  appearance  of  spring- 
ing from  the  flood,  while  around  its  walls  the  waters 
ever  chant  a  requiem  for  the  ages  fled.  This  wat 
was  erected  by  the  father  of  the  present  king,  to  pro- 
pitiate the  spirits  of  the  stream,  and  is  worthy 
of  its  position  at  the  portals  of  this  nature-dowered, 
sun-emblazoned  land  of  ancient  lore,  the  pearl  of  Asia, 
a  temple  fit  for  the  abode  of  the  lorlei  of  the  Orient. 
The  fort  that  guards  the  entrance  to  the  river  is  one  of 
the  best  in  the  kingdom  and  is  of  considerable  strength, 
built  on  an  island  and  mounts  some  heavy  modern  guns, 
among  them  several  Krupps  ;  it  has  complete  command 
of  the  stream,  while  on  either  side  are  strong  fortifica- 
tions which  could  be  speedily  manned  should  necessity 
require.  Here,  also,  is  located  the  village  of  Packnam, 
and  now  for  the  first  time  one  gets  an  idea  of  Siamese 
architecture  and  the  habitations  of  the  people.  The 
palaces  and  residences  of  the  princes  and  nobles  are, 
many  of  them,  handsome  and  palatial,  built  of  brick 
and  stuccoed  w^ith  hard  white  cement,  which  gives 
them  the  appearance  of  having  been  built  of  marble, 
with  large  wide  verandahs,  upon  which  open  innumer- 
able doors  and  windows  to  allow  free  ingress  of  air; 
the  roofs  are  of  various  colored  tiles  and  add  no  little 
to  the  appearance  of  the  building,  as  they  are 
highly  ornamental.  The  palaces  are  generally  two 
stories  high,  with  large  rooms  and  corridors ;  the  ceil- 
ings, which  are  handsomely  frescoed  and  elaborately 
gilded,  are  about  sixteen  feet  in  height, which  adds  no 
little  to  the  appearance,  as  well  as  comfort,  of  the  rooms ; 
the  floors  are,  in  many  instances,  inlaid  with  various 
kinds  of  wood  in  the  most  elaborate  pattern,  and  as  no 


24:  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

carpets  are  used  they  are  kept  highly  polished  and  dis- 
play to  advantage  the  skill  of  the  native  designers. 
The  main  entrance  is  by  flights  of  marble,  or  stone 
steps,  to  a  portico  on  the  second  story,  thence  into  a 
handsome  corridor ;  the  lower  story  is  only  used  for  the 
servants  and  slaves,  who  are  innumerable. 

As  a  general  thkig,  the  palaces  are  handsomely  fur- 
nished, especially  the  drawing-rooms ,  pictures  adorn 
the  walls    and  rare  articles  of  bronze  and   porcelain 
add  additional  interest  to  the  surroundings  and  show 
the  artistic  taste  of  the  occupant;  the  grounds  are  kept 
in  admirable  order,  and  on  all  sides  the  serpentine  walks 
are  bordered  with  crotons  and  other  rare  flowers,  gor- 
geous  in  coloring  and  as  fragrant  as  the   breath  of 
morn  swpeping  over  a  bed  of  violets,  amid  which  spring, 
at  intervals,  the  graceful  palm  and  feathery  bamboo 
making  an  admirable  framework  for  the   white-winged 
edifice  thus  held  in  the  clasp  of  nature's  choicest  treas- 
ures. The  Siamese  are  natural  gardeners,  are  imbued 
with  an  idea  of  the  beautiful,  which   they    display 
in  laying  off  the  grounds  in  the  best  of  taste,  and  thus 
the  parterre  of  many  a  palace  is  an  artistic  picture,  bril- 
liant with  coloring  and  musical  with  birds..    But  there 
is  another  side  to  the  picture.     While  the  nobles  thus 
live  in  splendor,  the  vast  majority  reside  in  dwellings 
built,  in  the  frailest  manner,  of  teak  covered  with  the 
attap  palm,  a  thatch  that  answers  admirably,  which  are 
reared  up  on  poles  about  six  feet  high  above  the  ground 
or  over  the  water  of  the  rivers  or  canals.     But,  as  the 
weather  is  always  warm,  they  answer  all  the  purposes 
necessary  for  the  native,  whose  sole  idea  is  to  enjoy  life 
as  indolently  as  possible,  doing  but  little  work,  and  that 
under    compulsion.    As    his   necessities  are  but  few, 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  25 

requiring  but  little  clothing,  wearing  neither  shoes  nor 
hat,  his  food  rice,  fruit  and  fish,  his  only  luxury 
betel,  he  sleeps,  gambles,  fishes  or  works  as  the  spirit 
moves  him ;  the  women  taking  upon  themselves  the 
task  of  caring  for  their  progeny,  which  run  as  naked 
over  the  fields  or  through  the  streets  as  Eve  found  her- 
self before  the  typical  fig-leaf  became  a  fashionable 
garment. 

Passing  Packnam  and  taking  on  custom-house  offi- 
cers, the  Taichow  anchored  ;  then  when  morn's  first 
rosy  blush  coruscated  the  eastern  sky  the  steamer 
breasted  the  current,  and  as  its  grand  proportions 
opened  out  in  the  early  dawn  an  ever-changing  pano- 
rama greeted  the  eye :  its  surface  dotted  with  boats  of 
various  kinds,  many  of  them  rowed  by  yellow-robed 
priests  who  were  in  search  of  their  daily  rice,  as  they 
live  exclusively  on  charity  ;  its  banks  lined  with  palms 
and  tropical  verdure,  while  at  intervals  was  passed  wats 
embowered  in  greenest  of  foliage,  whose  gilded  spires 
and  tiled  roofs  flashed  back  most  royally  the  beams  of 
the  rising  sun  ;  villages  with  houses  built  out  in  the 
stream,  and  wide  stretches  of  rice  fields  upon  which 
were  grazing  herds  of  buffalo  and  cattle.  It  was  a  scene, 
truly  oriental  and  worth  a  trip  half  round  the  globe  to 
witness.  In  a  couple  of  hours  the  shipping  at  the 
wharves,  the  junks  anchored  in  the  river,  the  innumer- 
able floating  houses  and  rice  mills,  residences  and  boats, 
denoted  that  Bangkok,  the  city  of  olives,  the  capital  of 
Siam,  had  been  reached,  that  our  voyage  was  ended. 
Here  the  Menam  is  about  half  a  mile  in  width  ;  for 
twelve  miles  it  flows  through  a  densely  populated  city, 
while  upon  its  waters  float  myriads  of  boats,  from  the 
smallest  canoe  to  large  rice  and  cargo  boats,  aquatic 


26  THE    TEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

habitations  of  thousands,  which  ply  on  the  rivers  and 
canals  throughout  the  interior,  thus  bringing  in  the 
produce  of  the  country  for  hundreds  of  miles,  the  only 
means  of  reaching  market. 

Upon  landing,  a  new  civilization  meets  one ;  the  scan- 
tily-clad Siamese,  the  almond-eyed  son  of  Confucius, 
the  swarthy  Malay,  the  tattooed  Laos,  stalwart  Bur- 
mese, fine-featured  Hindoo,  Parsee  and  Mahometans, 
mixed  up  with  yellow-robed  priests  of  Buddha,  greet 
the  eye,  and  the  white  man  is  welcomed  with  a  polite- 
ness and  courtesy  truly  Asiatic  ;  but  he  soon  realizes 
that  he  is  in  a  strange  land,  a  land  of  mysticism,  whose 
legends  run  back  to  the  genesis  of  time,  whose  tradi- 
tions come  down  from  the  dim  past  as  poetical  as 
the  songs  of  Solomon,  photographed  on  the  plastic 
memory  of  generations.  Here  Buddhism  rears  its 
gilded  wats,  here  Mahomet  has  his  worshipers,  the 
Parsee  daily  turns  his  face  to  the  rising  sun  ;  and  here 
the  followers  of  the  son  of  Mary,  the  lone  Nazarine, 
have  planted  their  altars  and  the  voice  of  many  descended 
from  parents  of  a  different  faith  now  mingle  together 
and  breathe  forth  fervent  prayers  to  the  martyr  of 
Calvary,  for  the  labors  of  the  missionaries  have  been 
productive  of  good  work;  though  but  now  in  the  bud, 
it  must  necessarily  (lower  forth  in  all  of  its  beauty  and 
be  productive  of  a  golden  harvest.  They  have  sown 
their  seed  in  fertile  soil. 

The  city  of  Bangkok,  the  capital  of  Siam,  situated 
thirty-five  miles  from  the  gulf,  has  well  been  called 
the  Yenice  of  the  East.  Its  main  thoroughfare  is  the 
Menam  Chowpea,  Menam  meaning  mother  of  waters. 
It  is  the  largest  stream  in  the  kingdom  and  is  navi- 
gable to  Eaheng,  some  five  hundred  miles  in  the 


THE   PEARL    OF   ASIA.  27 

interior;  into  it  pours  a  number  of  tributaries  that 
take  their  rise  in  the  mountains,  but  it  is  only  during 
the  rainy  season  that  it  is  navigable  that  high  up;  then 
the  merchant  and  native  avail  themselves  of  the  high 
water,  which  at  times  overflows  the  country  for  miles, 
to  raft  down  the  teak  that  has  been  hauled  by 
elephants  to  the  river,  and  to  ship  the  paddy  (unhulled 
rice)  to  the  capital  city.  Bangkok  is  also  permeated 
with  innumerable  canals,  many  of  them  running  far 
into  the  interior  and  connecting  the  other  rivers  that 
empty  into  the  upper  waters  of  the  Siamese  gulf,  so 
that  there  is  an  unbroken  chain  of  communication  by 
waterways  over  this  portion  of  the  kingdom  for 
the  transportation  of  produce  to  this  central  mar- 
ket. As  the  country  is  perfectly  level,  or  nearly 
so,  the  canals  do  not  require  locks,  but  are  always 
open  and  easily  navigable  for  the  largest  sized 
boats;  at  all  times  the  canals  are  thronged  with 
boats  transporting  cattle,  rice  and  other  products  of 
the  country  from  the  interior,  and  they  are  well 
stocked  with  fish.  Along  the  margin  of  the  river  can 
be  seen  the  large  paddy  mills,  twenty-four  in  number, 
where  the  rice  is  hulled  and  prepared  for  shipment  in 
sacks  holding  about  two  bushels,  vast  quantities  of 
which  go  to  China,  India  and  Europe.  The  mills 
are  run  by  steam-power,  and  the  fuel  used  is  the  husk 
of  the  paddy.  Many  of  the  mills  are  lighted  with 
electric  lights  and  have  all  the  modern  improve- 
ments, employing  hundreds  of  Chinese  coolies 
at  two  salungs  a  day,  about  twenty  cents  American 
money.  They  work  hard  for  that,  unloading  and 
loading  vessels,  but  they  work  with  great  willingness 
and  seem  contented.  After  their  work  is  over  they  can 


28  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

be  seen  sitting  in  front  of  their  houses,  half  clad, 
smoking  opium;  that  appears  to  be  their  sole  idea 
of  dissipation,  save  when  they  resort  to  the  gambling 
dens,  licensed  by  the  government,  as  they  are  inveter- 
ate gamblers,  and  they  occasionally  indulge  in  drink- 
ing samshu,  a  villainous  liquor  made  from  rice, 
which  is  highly  intoxicating.  Most  of  these  rice  mills 
are  owned  by  Europeans  and  Chinese,  but  the  first 
one  erected  was  by  Americans,  and  is  still  known  by 
the  name  of  American  mill.  The  city  proper  lies 
along  the  river  and  the  canals,  and  is  thickly  built  up 
on  both  sides  of  the  stream  for  nearly  fourteen  miles; 
but  the  palaces  and  substantial  and  handsome  resi- 
dences of  the  princes  and  nobles  are  hid  by  a  fringe 
of  floating  houses,  which  in  some  places  are  two  deep, 
and  are  owned  and  occupied  by  traders  who  pay 
a  smallsumfor  the  water  privileges,  and  who  sell  every- 
thing needed.  Some  of  the  houses  are  handsomely  fitted 
up  and  finished,  built  of  teak,  while  others  are  built 
of  bamboo;  many  of  them  are  covered  with  attap,  a 
species  of  palm  that  only  grows  in  Siam  and  the 
Straits  settlements,  while  others  are  covered  with  cor- 
rugated iron.  The  floating  house  is  one  of  the  promi- 
nent features  of  the  city,  and  the  natives  regard  them 
as  more  healthy  than  those  on  land,  as  they  can  thus 
easily  get  rid  of  all  their  debris  by  tumbling  it  into  the 
river,  and  have  all  the  water  they  want  without  having 
to  carry  it;  which,  as  they  bathe  once  or  twice  a  day,  is  a 
great  convenience.  The  city  proper  is  confined  within 
white  walls,  forming  a  circuit  of  four  and  a  half  miles, 
about  twelve  feet  high,  with  sixteen  large  gates 
opening  out  on  the  main  thoroughfares  each  fif- 
teen feet  hign;  these  walls  are  built  of  brick, 


THE   PEARL  OF   ASIA.  29 

stuccoed  with  a  white  cement,  which  is  as  hard 
as  marble  and  is  made  by  mixing  palm  molasses  with 
the  plaster  when  it  is  applied  ;  at  the  base  they  are  ten 
feet  thick,  and  at  the  top  they  are  so  arranged  that  per- 
sons can  walk  along  them;  at  certain  distances  towers 
are  erected  with  lance-like  windows,  so  that  rifle-men 
can  command  the  approaches.  Inside  the  walls  is  a 
road  or  street,  running  parallel  thereto,  laid  with 
brick  and  covered  with  sand,  which  extends  around  the 
entire  distance,  about  six  miles,  making  a  good  drive, 
and  from  each  gate  a  road  leads  to  the  palace  which 
is  enclosed  within  similar  walls,  as  seen  by  illustration, 
and  is  situated  on  the  right  river  bank,  presenting  a 
handsome  view  both  from  there  and  along  the  espla- 
nade. It  is  enclosed  with  double  walls  pierced  by  mas- 
sive gates  covered  with  iron,  which  are  closed  at  night ; 
the  inner  walls  enclose  the  palace  proper,  where  the 
King  and  his  wives  and  servitors  reside ;  outside,  but 
within  the  outer  walls,  is  the  royal  wat  in  which  is 
enshrined  the  emerald  idol;  the  golden  pagoda  con- 
taining the  sacred  relics  of  Buddha ;  a  handsome  wat 
in  which,  in  an  elaborately  carved  cabinet  of  ebony 
and  mother  of  pearl,  are  the  books  of  the  great 
teacher,  the  floor  of  this  temple  is  covered  with 
a  carpet  of  woven  silver ;  the  magnificent  por- 
celain pagoda  in  which  are  placed  the 
golden  urns  that  hold  the  ashes  of  the  Kings  and 
Princes  of  Siam,  the  foreign  office,  the  mint,  the 
stables  of  the  white  elephants  and  the  new  court  of 
justice,  besides  innumerable  residences  of  servants  of 
the  various  queens  and  barracks  for  the  guards ;  also  a 
market,  as  it  is  reported  that  over  five  thousand  per- 
sons reside  within  the  enclosure.  The  court-yard  of 


30  THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

the  palace  proper  is  very  handsome.  About  t^o  acres 
in  extent,  paved  with  blocks  of  black  and  white  marble, 
ornamented  with  statues  and  dwarf  China  trees  in  hand- 
some porcelain  pots.  The  entrance  to  the  building  is 
by  two  pair  of  stairs  that  lead  up  to  a  magnificent 
portico,  also  of  marble,  with  marble  pillars  that  can 
not  be  less  than  thirty  feet  high,  and  at  the  base  of  the 
stairs  are  two  elephants  heavily  gilt,  nearly  of 
life  size.  The  interior  of  the  palace  is  in  keeping 
with  its  entrance,  and  the  reception  room  of 
his  Majesty  is  one  of  the  handsomest  extant 
and  literally  crowded  with  works  of  art  of  the 
rarest  description;  among  others  a  number  of  onyx 
tables,  which  Prince  Devawongse,  Foreign  Min- 
ister and  brother  of  the  King,  informed  me  that  he 
purchased  in  New  York.  Inside  the  walls  Bangkok  is 
laid  out  at  angles  centering  on  the  palace,  and  the 
streets  are  well  paved  and  kept  in  good  condition 
lighted  at  night  with  gas  and  oil  lamps;  on  each  side 
are  built  rows  of  two-story  houses  mostly  of  brick,  and 
covered  with  tile,  nearly  all  of  which  are  owned  by  the 
King  and  Princes,  bringing  them  in  a  handsome  rev- 
enue, as  rents  are  very  high  ;  the  houses  are  principally 
occupied  as  stores  and  workshops,  the  occupants  living 
upstairs.  One  of  the  main  thoroughfares  is  known  as 
the  New  Road,  running  parallel  with  the  river,  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  back,  and  connected  therewith  by 
smaller  avenues.  It  extends  from  Bankolem  Point,  at 
the  lower  part  of  the  city,  a  distance  of  seven  miles,  to 
the  city  gate,  and  is  closely  built  up  with  a  heterogeneous 
mass  of  houses,  brick,  teak  and  bamboo.  A  vast  amount 
of  business,  in  the  retail  way.  is  done  on  this  avenue, 
as  it  is  always  crowded  with  natives  and  along  it  runs 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  31 

a  tramway  that  extends  to  the  palace,  and  the  cars  are 
always  crowded,  the  fare  being  eight  ats,  equivalent  to 
eight  of  our  cents.  Other  avenues,  well  and  substan- 
tially built,  lead  to  the  cit\7  walls  which  are  pierced  by 
large  gateways,  closed  with  heavy  iron-covered  doors, 
at  each  of  which  is  posted  a  sentinel,  always  on  guard, 
seemingly  more  as  an  ornament  than  a  necessity,  as  no 
one  ever  heard  of  any  one  having  been  arrested  for 
passing  through.  Most  of  the  Princes  have  palaces 
inside  of  the  city  walls,  but  the  elder  brother 
of  the  King,  Prince  Ong  Yoi,  has  his  palace,  a 
rather  modest  building,  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
river,  nearly  opposite  the  royal  residence;  the 
Crown  Prince's  palace,  a  magnificent  structure,  is 
a  short  distance  from  the  main  portion  of  the 
city;  it  is  a  modern  building,  ornamented  with 
towers  and  turrets,  built  of  brick  and  stone  ;  it  is  a  very 
imposing  structure  and  is  surrounded  by  handsome 
grounds.  The  esplanade,  south  of  the  palace  walls,  is 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  length,  and  over  two 
hundred  feet  in  width,  handsomely  laid  out  and  flanked 
on  the  south  side  by  the  arsenal,  a  large,  handsome 
building,  and  rows  of  houses  occupied  by  officers  and 
employes  of  the  government ;  the  road  is  solidly  paved 
with  hard  brick,  covered  with  sand,  and  on  each  side  is 
wide  stretches  of  grass  kept  closely  mowed  and  in 
splendid  order,  making  a  magnificent  boulevard.  The 
King's  garden,  a  short  distance  from  the  palace,  is  a 
lovely  spot  and  worthy  of  the  admiration  it  always 
receives  from  visitors.  It  is  handsomely  laid  off  in 
walks,  and  scattered  over  it  are  the  rarest  tropical 
plants  and  trees,  all  of ^ which  are  carefully  cared  for; 
the  orchid  house  is  about  two  hundred  feet  in  length, 


32  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

two  stories  high, -the  upper  story  having  no  roof,  so 
that  potted  plants  of  all  kinds  are  placed  therein  and 
grow  to  perfection  in  the  sunshine  that  simmers  down 
on  them  in  a  shower  of  molten  gold.  One  of  the 
features  of  the  garden  is  agothicaisle  of  lofty  bam  boos 
three  hundred  feet  in  length  and  thirty  feet  in  height, 
as  perfect  in  form  as  any  to  be  found  in  the  old  min- 
sters of  England,  a  marvel  of  artistic  skill  and  an 
object  of  rare  beauty,  entirely  unique.  In  the  center 
of  the  grounds  is  a  handsome  Italian  monument, 
erected  by  the  King  in  remembrance  of  the  death  of 
his  Queen  who  was  accidentally  drowned  several  years 
since,  and  it  is  a  worthy  tribute  to  a  most  esti- 
mable lady,  her  death  being  deeply  deplored 
by  all  his  subjects.  .  Throughout  the  grounds  are 
fountains,  ornamental  summer  houses  and  band- 
stands, the  King's  band  playing  there  every 
Saturday,  at  which  time  the  gardens  are  thrown  open 
to  the  public  and  on  the  lawn  the  Europeans  and 
nobles  play  tennis,  croquet  and  other  games.  At  one 
time  the  King  had  collected  a  number  of  animals  with 
the  intention  of  establishing  a  zoo,  but  nearly  all  of 
the  animals  have  died  and  the  cages  are  rapidly  falling 
into  decay.  Though  not  so  large  as  some  of  the  parks 
in  the  East,  this  garden  or  park  is  decidedly  one  of  the 
handsomest  and  is  kept  in  good  order  ;  the  drives  and 
walks  are  well  rolled,  the  grass  closely  mown,  the 
shrubbery  and  bushes  well  trimmed,  and  no  more 
pleasant  place  can  be  found  in  the  city  to  spend  an  hour 
of  pure  and  unalloyed  enjoyment.  The  canals,  or 
klangs,  as  the  natives  term  them,  are  the  main  feature 
of  the  place ;  along  them  live  a  dense  population  and 
for  many  miles  can  be  found  stores  filled  with  goods 


o 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  66 

of  all  kinds  and  workshops,  a  hive  of  industry.  A  num- 
ber of  the  canals  are  over  one  hundred  feet  in  -width, 
along  which  pass  a  steady  stream  of  boats  of  all  sizes, 
and  as  the  canals  rise  and  fall  with  the  tide  in  the 
river  they  act  as  sewers  to  carry  off  the  filth  that  necessa- 
rily accumulates  in  such  a  crowded  community;  but 
at  times  it  is  almost  unbearable  to  pass  along  them 
caused  by  the  stench  arising  from  the  decaying 
carcass  of  a  dog  or  other  animal  floating  in  the  water, 
as  everything  is  thrown  into  the  river  or  canal,  it  being 
the  easiest  way  of  disposing  of  them.  At  all  hours  of  the 
day  can  be  seen  numbers  of  the  natives  disporting 
themselves  in  the  water,  as  they  know  that  frequent 
bathing  is  conducive  to  health  ;  the  children,  as  a  nat- 
ural consequence,  are  taught  to  swim  early,  and  as  they 
go  as  naked  as  a  Greek  statue  it  is  no  novelty  to  see  a 
shoal  of  them  not  two  feet  high  gamboling  in  the  water 
like  so  many  porpoises,  and  from  a  look  at  their  merry 
faces  you  can  see  that  they  enjoy  it,  and  no  more 
cheerful  people  live  than  the  children  of  "the  land  of 
the  afternoon,"  where  the  lotus  blooms  and  nature  is 
lavish  in  her  productions. 

The  stories  told  by  travelers  about  the  overflows  of 
the  country  are  but  partially  correct,  and  that  in 
regard  to  Bangkok  being  a  city  built  on  poles  over  a 
continually  flowing  river  is  veritable  bosh.  Only 
twice  in  the  five  years  that  I  was  a  resident  at  Bang- 
kok did  the  high  tide  in  the  Menam  get  out  into  the 
city,  and  that  was  only  in  a  few  low  places  where  the 
back-water  overflowed  from  the  canals.  In  the 
interior  considerable  land  is  overflowed  at  times, 
during  the  months  of  November  and  December,  the 
spring  tides,  but  then  only  for  an  hour  or  two  daily. 


34  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

which  benefits  the  soil.  There  is  no  more  solidly 
built  city  than  Bangkok ;  the  large  majority  of  the 
people  live  in  good  houses  with  solid  floors,  where  the 
rise  from  the  river  never  reaches  them,  the  floors  being 
level  with  the  ground,  their  houses  being  built  of  brick, 
two  stories  high.  Large  numbers  of  houses  are  built 
on  pile,  especially  along  the  canals  and  out  in  the 
interior.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  they  are  but  frail 
bamboo  structures,  and  many  of  the  natives  believe 
that  it  is  wicked  to  live  in  the  lower  story  of  a  house 
if  the  upper  is  occupied,  especially  by  females,  hence 
the  lower  part  is  devoted  to  the  dogs,  pigs,  cows  and 
other  scavengers  who  clean  up  all  the  debris  thrown 
through  the  cracks  in  the  floor ;  also  it  may  be  for  the 
purpose  of  being  out  of  the  reach  of  toads,  snakes  and 
the  multitudinous  worms  that  infest  the  lower  floors. 
On  the  high  lands  the  natives  have  these  long-legged 
houses,  which  they  reach  with  a  ladder  about  six  to 
eight  feet  in  length.  They  say  it  keeps  tigers  and 
thieves  out,  as  the  ladder  is  drawn  up  every  night  for 
protection.  The  palaces,  temples,  warehouses,  hotels, 
colleges,  residences  of  the  merchants,  mills,  etc.. are  large 
and  substantial  buildings  built  in  modern  style,  and 
the  water  of  the  Menam  was  never  known  to  encroach 
on  them. 


III. 

EECEPTION  BY   HIS   MAJESTY  KING  CHUL- 
ALONGKOEN. 

The  first  official  act  that  a  minister  performs  when 
he  reaches  Bangkok  is  to  call  on  the  Foreign  Minister, 
now  H.  E.  H.  Prince  Devawongse,  and  request  an 
audience  with  the  King,  at  the  same  time  presenting 
an  office  copy  of  the  letter  of  the  President  to  Chula- 
longkorn  I.  Duly  armed  with  a  copy  of  President 
Cleveland's  letter  and  a  copy  of  the  remarks  to  be 
made  in  presenting  it,  in  company  with  the  Yice 
Consul  General,  Dr.  McDonald,  I  was  driven  to  the 
palace  of  the  Foreign  Minister,  who  gave  us  a  most 
cordial  reception.  After  an  exchange  of  pleasantries 
the  Prince  informed  me  that  it  would  give  him  great 
pleasure  to  let  me  kno\v  at  what  time  it  would  please 
His  Majesty  to  accord  us  an  audience.  Much  pleased 
with  the  courteous  and  affable  manner  of  my  reception, 
I  returned  to  the  Legation  to  await  the  action  of  the 
Siamese  officials.  In  this  instance  they  acted  promptly. 
Next  morning  Prince  D.  called  with  the  information 
that  His  Majesty  would  be  pleased  to  receive  us  that 
day  at  5  P.  M.at  the  supreme  palace,  and  that  one  of  the 
state  carriages  Avould  be  placed  at  our  disposal.  At  the 
hour  named  a  handsome  open  carriage,  drawn  by  four 
Australian  horses,  with  outriders  and  driver  dressed  in 
scarlet  livery,  drove  up  to  the  entrance  of  the  Legation, 
and  a  leading  official,  who  spoke  English  fluently, 
informed  me  that  he  had  been  deputed  to  convey  the 

35 


36  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

Doctor  and  myself  to  the  palace,  whereupon  we  entered 
the  carriage;  the  outriders  galloped  in  front,  the  driver 
cracked  his  whip  and  away  we  went  at  a  rattling  rate, 
scattering  pedestrians  on  all  sides,  dashed  through  the 
gateways  in  the  city  walls,  the  sentinels  saluting  us, 
and  after  a  drive  of  about  three  miles  turned  from  the 
main  highway  into  the  esplanade  that  skirts  the  palace 
walls.  As  soon  as  our  carriage  made  its  appearance  a 
battery  stationed  near  the  main  entrance  to  the  palace 
grounds  commenced  firing  a  salute  of  forty  guns. 
Reaching  the  eastern  walls  we  drove  through  a  mas- 
sive gateway  and  found  ranged  on  each  side 
of  a  broad  paved  avenue,  a  distance  of  over 
two  hundred  yards,  a  double  line  of  soldiers, 
armed  with  repeating  rifles,  standing  at  a  salute. 
Passing  down  the  line  our  driver  halted  at  the  portals 
of  the  second  wall,  that  which  encloses  the  palace, 
when  we  alighted  and  were  conducted  into  the  court 
where  more  soldiers  were  stationed,  who  presented 
arms  as  we  advanced.  To  the  right,  as  we  entered, 
were  the  royal  white  elephants  dressed  out  in  Asiatic 
splendor,  their  howdas  and  trappings  sparkling  with 
gold  and  jewels,  their  keepers  in  barbaric  uniforms. 
A  large  body  of  native  musicians,  dressed  in  scarlet, 
saluted  us  with  a  weird  kind  of  music,  beating  on 
peculiar  shaped  drums  with  their  hands.  In  front  of 
the  palace  was  placed  the  King's  band  of  musicians, 
lead  by  an  Italian,  who  performed  the  Star-Spangled 
Banner,  a  compliment  to  the  American  minister. 
Crossing  the  handsome  court  we  were  received  at  the 
steps  of  the  portico,  which  were  covered  with  carpets, 
by  the  King's  body-guard,  a  picked  body  of  men,  who 
presented  arms,  and  we  were  escorted  into  the  palace  by 


THE   PEABL   OF   AfflA.  37 

one  of  the  Princes  who  was  waiting  to  receive  us.  It 
was  a  scene  of  Asiatic  pomp  and  power;  the  flashing 
steel  of  the  military,  the  gorgeous  trappings  of  the  ele- 
phants, the  music  of  the  native  drummers,  the  strains 
of  the  King's  band  with  hundreds  of  spectators  squat- 
ting around,  with  the  white  walls  and  gleaming  roof 
and  towers  of  the  palace  made  a  picture  worth  a  visit 
to  the  Orient  to  witness,  one  that  would  have  immor- 
talized an  artist  could  he  have  placed  it  on  canvass. 
It  seemed  as  if  it  was  a  scene  eliminated  from  the 
Arabian  Nights.  I  could  not  help  remarking  to  the 
Doctor,  "  This  is  indeed  grand."  Entering  the  anti- 
chamber  we  were  received  by  Prince  Devawpngse  and 
other  leading  Princes  and  officials.  As  soon  as  we 
were  seated  tea  was  handed  round  and  I  was  requested 
to 'write  my  name  in  an  album,  which  I  did,  then  in 
another  with  the  date  of  my  birth.  I  suppose  that  the 
latter  was  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  the  court  astrol- 
ogers to  cast  my  horoscope  and  see  whether  I  would 
be  antagonistic  to  their  government.  While  convers- 
ing pleasantly  about  my  trip  and  other  matters  a 
blare  of  bugles  rang  out;  the  Prince  informed  me 
that  His  Majesty  was  waiting  to  receive  me,  and  I  was 
at  once  ushered  into  the  throne  room  (see  engraving),  in 
which  was  assembled  most  of  the  Princes  and  nobles  of 
the  realm  in  full  costumes,  the  buckles  of  their  gold 
belts  flashing  with  gems  of  priceless  value.  Advancing  to 
the  center  of  the  room  I  beheld  the  King  standing  under 
the  royal  pagoda  umbrella,  on  a  dais  about  four  feet  in 
height,  dressed,  as  his  picture  represents,  in  a  white 
Prince  Albert  coat,  plum-colored  panung  and  white 
stockings,  and  low  quartered  shoes;  across  his  breast 
he  wore  a  broad  yellow  sash  and  a  number  of  orders, 


38  THE    PEAEL    OF    ASIA. 

and  held  in  his  hand  a  sheathed  sword,  its  scabbard 
encrusted  with  jewels.  At  first  sight  he  impressed  me 
with  the  idea  that  he  was  every  inch  a  king.  Bowing 
three  times  to  His  Majesty,  who  returned  the  salutation, 
I  laid  the  letter  of  President  Cleveland  on  a  silver 
tripod  and  waited  for  the  court  interpreter  to  introduce 
me,  which  he  did  in  an  oration  of  considerable  length, 
in  Siamese  ;  the  letter  of  President  Cleveland  was  then 
handed  to  the  King, -who  welcomed  me  to  Siam  and 
spoke  feelingly  of  the  warm  friendship  that  existed 
between  the  two  countries,  to  which  I  responded  in  a 
similar  manner.  The  King  then  asked  me  a  number  of 
questions  in  regard  to  my  trip,  which  was  interpreted 
to  me,  and  he  then  bowed  gracefully  and  retired  ;  the 
audience  was  over  and  I  was  then  introduced  to  a 
number  of  the  brothers  of  the  King  and  Governors  of 
provinces.  Next  day  a  copy  of  the  King's  speech  with 
the  translation  was  sent  me.  Leaving  the  palace  we 
were  again  escorted  through  the  ranks  of  the  soldiery 
and  returned  to  the  Legation.  It  was  one  of  the  most 
impressive  and  imposing  ceremonials  that  I  had  ever 
witnessed.  The  scene  in  the  throne  room  was  gorgeous 
beyond  description  ;  the  rays  of  the  sun,  streaming 
through  stained  glass  windows,  a  royal  tint  of  soft 
purple,  fell  like  a  benison  on  the  coats  of  cloth  of  gold 
and  silver  worn  by  the  Siamese  noblemen.  They  were 
in  full  dress  to  do  honor  to  the  representative  of  the 
great  republic,  and  I  looked,  in  my  plain  suit  of  black, 
like  a  crow  among  a  flock  of  tropical  birds. 

This  reception  by  the  King  was  an  epoch  in  my  life, 
and  the  impression  I  then  formed  of  the  supreme  ruler 
of  Siam  was  borne  out  by  his  actions  during  my  five 
years  stay  in  his  dominions:  that  he  was  a  wise,  humane, 


THE    PKARL    OF    ASIA.  £9 

prudent  and  brainy  monarch.  Under  his  sway  many 
of  the  ills  hitherto  borne  by  his  people  have  been  amel- 
iorated ;  he  has  abolished  slavery  in  its  worst  form,  is 
protecting  the  people  from  the  squeezing  of  avaricious 
governors,  has  made  inquiries  in  the  reported  corrup- 
tion of  the  judiciary,  aided  and  assisted  education,  is 
paying  personal  attention  to  the  carrying  out  of  the  laws, 
encourages  all  kinds  of  progress  and  throws  no  stumb- 
ling blocks  in  the  way  of  the  labor  of  the  missionaries; 
in  fact,  allowed  his  son,  the  Crown  Prince,  to  lay  the 
corner-stone  of  the  magnificent  Catholic  college,  besides 
subscribing  a  considerable  sum  in  aid  of  its  erection. 
No  foreigner  who  has  been  accorded  an  audience  with 
King  Chulalongkorn  I.  but  leaves  his  presence  impressed 
with  the  belief  that  he  is  the  foremost  man  of  his 
nation  and  that  his  people  are  blessed  with  a  ruler, 
unlike  most  Asiatic  monarchs,  kind  and  humane. 
Under  his  rule  the  kingdom  has  grown  into  wealth  and 
power;  Bangkok  has  become  a  city  of  great  commercial 
importance,  fast  becoming  one  of  the  noted  metropo- 
lises of  the  world. 


IV. 

CHAKACTEEISTICS  OF  THE  COUNTRY  AND 
HABITS  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 

The  natives  of  Siam,  the  peasants,  are  virtually 
peons;  they  attach  themselves  to  some  master  and  have 
his  name  tattoed  on  their  wrist,  called  sak,  otherwise 
they  are  liable  to  be  arrested  and  placed  in  the  army 
for  life.  For  the  privilege  of  becoming  a  retainer  of  a 
nobleman  the  servant  gives  one  month  service  during 
the  year,  which  he  can  work  out,  or  he  can  pay  from 
five  to  ten  ticals  for  his  time.  If  he  should  get  into 
difficulty  with  any  of  the  many  tax  collectors  his  mas- 
ter sees  that  he  is  not  squeezed,  he  standing  between 
him  and  any  attempt  to  take  advantage  of  his  sur- 
roundings. His  wants  are  few,  a  bamboo  hut  and  a 
few  cooking  utensils,  but  little  furniture,  scarcely  any 
clothing  ;  a  small  amount  of  rice,  a  fish  or  a  piece  of 
meat  and  a  pinch  or  two  of  salt,  together  with  fruit, 
goes  to  make  up  his  bill  of  fare,  but  at  times  he  indulges 
in  canumb  (sweet  cakes)  or  preserved  fruit,  and  spends 
the  best  portion  of  the  day  chewing  betel ;  all  are  invet- 
erate chewers,  from  King  to  peasant.  Men  and  women 
are  clothed  alike,  wearing  a  panung  around  the  loins, 
which  extends  from  the  waist  to  the  knee.  It  is  made 
of  cloth,  cotton  or  silk,  according  to  the  rank  of  the 
wearer,  and  is  about  three  yard  sin  length  and  one  yard 
in  width,  which  is  wrapped  around  the  body  with  the 
ends  drawn  between  the  legs  and  then  tucked  in  the 
fold,  looking,  when  on,  like  a  pair  of  knee  breeches. 

40 


THE   PEARL  OF   ASIA..  41 

The  women,  also,  wear  a  cotton  band  around  the  breast, 
leaving  the  shoulders  exposed  like  a  decollete  dress, 
sometimes  a  white  linen  jacket  across  which  they  throw 
a  broad  silk  scarf,  yellow  being  the  most  fashionable 
color.  Bub  few  of  them  wear  shoes  or  hats,  their  dark 
hair  shining  with  cocoanut  oil,  with  a  flower  fastened 
in  it.  The  nobles  dress  neatly,  wear  Prince  Albert 
coats,  panungs,  hats  and  shoes  and  stockings.  Having 
small  extremities  they  look  neat  and  attractive  in  low 
quarter  shoes  and  silk  stockings.  When  in  attendance 
at  the  palace  or  on  holidays  they  dress  gorgeously, 
their  coats  made  of  a  damascene  cloth  of  silver  and  gold, 
over  which  at  times  they  throw  a  lace  or  gauze  robe. 
All  wear  flexible  gold  belts,  some  of  which  are  very  hand- 
some, the  buckles  set  with  precious  stones ;  many  of  the 
wealthiest  use  large  diamonds  for  buttons,  among 
others  I  noticed  that  the  ex-Kromata,  Chow  Phya 
Bhanuwongse  Maha  Kosa  Dhipati  Thi  Phra  Klang,  had 
his  coat  buttoned  with  five  diamonds  of  the  purest 
water,  about  the  size  of  hazel  nuts. 

The  male  Siamese  peasant  is  indolent ;  he  lets  the 
women  do  most  of  the  work  while  he  fishes  or  gambles 
or  chows  a  boat.  The  mania  for  gambling  pervades  all 
ranks;  men,  women  and  children  can  be  seen  engaged 
in  it,  from  throwing  coppers  up  to  horse  racing  and 
cock  fighting,  the  Malay  breed  of  chickens  being  pro- 
verbial for  their  fighting  propensities.  In  every  vil- 
lage is  a  regular  cockpit,  around  which  the  villagers  con- 
gregate and  bet  on  the  rival  chickens.  They  also  fight 
kites  by  crossing  the  strings  of  two  or  more  while  fly- 
ing, and  the  one  that  breaks  the  string  of  the  other  is 
the  victor.  Thousands  of  persons  can  be  seen  of  an 
evening  at  the  Lotus  gardens  watching  a  kite  fight. 


42  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

Small  fish  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  reared 
for  the  purpose,  are  placed  in  a  transparent  jar  filled 
with  water,  when  they  fight  till  one  kills  the  other ; 
they  are  the  gamiest  little  things  extant ;  when  angry 
they  expand  their  fins  and  swell  up  like  a  rooster, 
assuming  the  most  brilliant  colors.  A  species  of  beetle 
is  also  taught  to  fight ;  in  fact  a  Siamese  will  bet  on 
anything,  and  licensed  gambling  houses  can  be  seen  in 
every  part  of  Bangkok  and  other  cities  throughout 
the  kingdom.  The  royal  lottery  is  very  popular  with 
all  classes,  it  has  two  drawings  daily.  At  noon  and 
midnight  boats  ply  up  and  down  the  river  calling  out 
the  lucky  numbers,  and  hundreds  of  purchasers  can  be 
seen  watching  for  the  boats  to  appear  so  that  they 
may  learn  what  their  ticket  has  drawn.  Thousands  of 
tickets  are  sold,  the  Chinese  investing  largely.  Wheels 
of  fortune  can  be  seen  in  all  the  bazaars  at  their  fairs, 
which  are  held  at  the  various  wats ;  the  handsomest 
Siamese  girls  are  selected  to  preside  at  the  booths  where 
they  have  glass  jars  filled  with  tickets,  on  which  is 
named  an  article  on  exhibition,  and  by  paying  a  small 
sum  you  are  allowed  to  draw  a  ticket.  Like  similar 
lotteries  at  home,  it  is  seldom  that  one  gets  back  the 
value  of  the  coin  invested.  Baffles  are  also  very  popu- 
lar with  the  Chinese  residents.  Chess  is  played  by  the 
nobles  and  princes,  some  of  them  very  expert,  particu- 
larly Prince  Devawongse,  who  is  considered  one  of  the 
best  players  on  the  coast.  For  three  days,  the  Siamese 
New  Year,  gambling  is  allowed  to  be  carried  on  free,  at 
other  times  it  is  licensed  and  under  the  control  of  the 
farmer  who  has  purchased  the  exclusive  right  of  the 
city.  Saturnalia  then  reigns  supreme,  and  gambling 
devices  can  be  seen  on  every  side. 


THE  PEARL   OF  ASIA.  43 

The  houses  of  the  mass  of  people  are  built  of  bamboo, 
with  attap  palm  roofs,  raised  on  poles  about  five  feet 
above  the  ground,  with  one  or  two  doors  and  a  couple 
of  openings  with  shutters  'for  windows.  Glass  is 
unknown,  and  fire  for  comfort  is  never  needed  ;  what 
little  they  have  to  Cook  is  done  on  a  clay  furnace,  and 
they  use  but  a  small  quantity  of  wood  or  charcoal,  as 
fuel  is  scarce  and  expensive.  The  houses  are  built 
generally  near  a  river  or  canal,  and  frequently  the 
building  extends  out  over  the  water,  so  that  all  the  filth 
or  debris  can  be  easily  disposed  of.  Dogs,  cats,  ducks, 
chickens,  children  and  pigs  all  live  together.  As  the 
natives  squat  down  to  rest  they  require  no  chairs  to  sit 
on,  in  fact  the  only  furniture  they  have  is  a  mat  and  a 
mosquito  net,  a  water  jar,  some  cooking  utensils,  a 
chest  or  two,  a  clock  and  a  small  mirror,  sometimes  a 
few  pictures.  Every  thing  denotes  indigence,  but  I  have 
been  informed  that  in  many  instances  the  inmates  have 
valuable  jewels  and  heavy  gold  chains,  which,  should 
they  need  money,  they  can  easily  pawn,  the  city  being 
full  of  pawn  shops,  the  curse  of  the  place,  owned  by 
Chinese,  in  which  can  be  found  rare  curios  that  have 
been  stolen.  A  large  class  live  in  boat  houses ;  they  are 
principly  merchants  and  traders,  and  some  of  them  have 
their  houses  furnished  neatly  and  others  elaborately ; 
their  furniture  is  made  of  ebony,  rose,  padoo  and 
other  rare  woods  inlaid  with  mother  of  pearl  and 
lacquer,  the  ceilings  gilded,  from  which  hang  innumer- 
able lamps  and  chandeliers,  it  being  their  belief  that 
light  keeps  away  evil  spirits.  During  an  epidemic  of 
cholera  hundreds  of  tall  poles  are  raised,  on  the  top  of 
which  are  suspended  lanterns  which  are  kept  burning 
to  scare  away  the  bad  angels  that  are  supposed  to  be 


44  THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

hovering  around  in  search  of  victims.  At  night  the 
Menam  is  a  blaze  of  light  from  the  houses,  the  ports  of 
the  ships  are  all  open,  and  as  you  slowly  drift  down 
with  the  tide  it  seems  like  a  glimpse  of  fairyland,  a 
chapter  culled  from  the  Arabian  Nights. 

The  youth  of  the  country  are  taught  to  read  and 
write  and  instructed  in  mathematics  by  the  priests  in  the 
temples,  the  boys  serving  as  acolytes;  but  now  that  the 
King  has  put  the  educational  department  of  the  govern- 
ment in  the  hands  of  Prince  Dumarong,  he  is  doing  all 
that  lies  in  his  power  to  encourage  education  by  giving 
it  his  personal  attention;  that  he  is  suceeding  can  be 
seen  from  the  photograph  of  the  scientific  class  at  San- 
dalay  College,  the  Siamese  high  school,  now  under  the 
charge  of  Eev.  Dr.  McFarland,  an  American,  who  has 
spent  over  a  quarter  of  a  century  in  the  Emerald 
Kingdom  ;  he  is  an  eminent  educator  and  is  succeeding 
admirably.  ~No  brighter  young  men  can  be  found  in 
any  of  our  colleges  than  these  pupils  of  his,  who  are 
destined  to  fill  responsible  positions  in  the  Siamese 
government.  The  latest  and  most  improved  text-books 
are  selected  for  the  schools,  English  and  American  pre- 
ferred. Having  attended  several  examinations  of  the 
scholars,  I  was  astonished  at  the  proficiency  manifested 
by  all.  At  the  last  examination  of  the  students  at 
Sandalay  College  the  Crown  Prince  distributed  the 
prizes  of  merit,  a  number  of  handsome  books,  all  of 
which  were  in  the  English  language.  The  Presbyter- 
ian mission  have  several  schools  in  Bangkok,  one  at 
Wanglan,  for  girls,  where  the  ladies  in  charge  have 
accomplished  much  good,  among  their  scholars  being  a 
young  Princess,  the  daughter  of  Prince  Dumarong. 
Unfortunately,  after  passing  through  the  school  and 


v; 

n 


THE   PEARL    OF    ASIA.  45 

being  thoroughly  instructed  in  the  tenets  of 
our  religion  and  learning  the  English  language, 
many  of  the  pupils  do  but  little  good, 
becoming  the  mistresses  of  foreigners,  but  few  of  them 
devoting  their  time  to  teaching.  The  school  at  Sam 
Ray  is  for  boys,  and  quite  a  number  of  young  men 
have  been  educated  there  who  are  now  filling  lucrative 
positions.  Some  are  ostensibly  Christians,  but  the  old 
leven  of  Buddhism  clings  to  them.  As  it  is  unpopular 
among  the  Buddhists  to  become  a  Christian,  these 
young  men  have  no  religion  and  will  eventually  drift 
back  into  the  belief  of  their  parents.  This  is  not  the 
fault  of  the  missionaries,  no  people  work  harder  than 
do  these  devoted  followers  of  our  Lord  ;  they  are  sow- 
ing seed  for  future  usefulness ;  they  are  teaching  the 
Siamese  the  necessity  and  benefit  of  education  ;  their 
schools  in  Bangkok,  Petchaburee  and  in  the,  Lao  coun- 
try are  but  so  many  landmarks  on  the  highway  to  per- 
manent success.  Like  the  gentle  fall  of  dew  upon  the 
parched  herbage,  it  tends  to  a  golden  harvest,  and  in 
the  years  to  come  they  will  realize  that  their 
labors  have  not  been  in  vain.  Many  of  these  work- 
ers in  the  cause  of  their  Master  now  sleep  beneath  the 
waving  palm  of  that  land  of  sunshine  and  flowers, 
others  have  returned  with  impaired  health,  but  the 
coronal  of  worthy  deeds  belongs  to  thefn— they,  at  least, 
have  done  their  duty. 

All  of  the  inland  traffic  is  done  by  boats  that  ply  on 
the  rivers  and  canals,  the  Menam  at  Bangkok  being 
covered  with  them,  ladened  with  produce  of  every 
kind,  cattle,  horses,  rice,  fruit,  fish,  wood, water  and  rice 
jars,  groceries,  dry  goods,  silks,  lamps,  china  ware, 
lime  for  betel,  chickens,  ducks,  eggs,  onions,  coal  oil, 


4:6  THE    1'EAItL    OF    ASIA. 

hides,  liquor,  and,  in  fact,  Everything  that  is  market- 
able. The  boats  are  built  of  large  teak  logs,  hollowed 
out,  with  cabins  covered  with  attap  or  bamboo  in 
which  the  owner  lives  and  rears  his  family.  These 
boats  are  propelled  by  long  oars,  the  women  as  well  as 
the  men  being  adepts  in  rowing,  while  the  bright  eyes 
of  a  brood  of  little  ones  can  frequently  be  seen  peering 
through  crevices  in  the  cabin.  Produce  is  thus  brought 
down  a  distance  of  from  four  to  five  hundred  miles 
from  the  interior  when  the  water  is  at  the 
proper  stage,  the  canals  having  to  depend  on  the 
rivers  to  flood  them,  as  they  have  no  locks  and  are  on 
a  level  with  the  streams.  The  canals  connect  with  all 
the  rivers  that  flow  into  the  upper  gulf,  so  that  the 
waterways  of  Bangkok  are  the  most  elaborate  and  far 
reaching  of  any  city  in  the  world,  and  each  year  they 
are  extended  farther  and  farther  into  the  interior, 
which,  while  it  adds  to  the  mileage 'of  the  waterways, 
increases  the  acreage  of  rice  fields,  the  law  being  that 
all  land  reclaimed  and  made  tillable  shall  be  exempt 
from  tax  for  a  certain  number  of  years.  This  is  a 
great  inducement  to  open  up  land,  and  many  Burmese 
and  Chinese  are  availing  themselves  of  the  privilege, 
as  rice  is  a  staple  product  and  finds  ready  sale  at  the 
capital. 

Unlike  other  portions  of  the  orient,  the  women  of 
Siam  are  not  trammeled  with  caste  or  required  to 
keep  themselves  secluded.  While  polygamy  is 
indulged  in  by  the  King  and  many  of  the  nobles,  the 
chief  wife  is  considered  the  head  of  the  family,  her 
word  is  the  law  of  the  household,  the  others  are 
termed  lesser  wives.  Should  a  Siamese  head  wife,  or 
wife  proper,  refuse  to  allow  her  husband  to  take  a 


THE    PEAKL   OF   ASIA.  47 

* 

lesser  wife,  he  could  not  do  so ;  should  he  persist, 
against  her  protest,  she  can  then  demand  a  divorce  and 
the  property  belonging  to  the  family  must  be  divided 
equally  between  the  husband  and  wife.     Such  divorces 
are  very   rare,   the  chief  wife  looks  upon  the  lesser 
wives  as  so  many  appendages   to  her  rank,  and  when 
she  goes  abroad  they  all  follow,  and  she  is  as  proud  of 
showing  them  as  the  stately  dames  of  European  courts 
their  jewels.     The  King  has  forty -seven   wives;  his 
chief  wife  and  mother  of  the  Crown  Prince  is  his  half- 
sister;  the  law  of  Siam  making  it   incumbent  on  His 
Majesty  to  thus  marry  in  the  family,  so  that  when  his 
heir  is  born  he  thus  preserves  the  pure  blood,  celestial, 
as  it  is  termed,  none  other  being  eligible  to  succeed 
him.     His  other  wives  are  members  of  the  leading  fami- 
lies, one  of  the  last  being  the  daughter  of  the  King  of 
Changmae,  a  handsome  Lao  princess.      As  the  output 
of  so  many  wives  it  was  reported  that  the   King  had 
ninety-six  children  and  that  he  was  a  very  affectionate 
father.      It  is  seldom  that  the  lower  order  have  more 
than  one  wife,  and  from  'what  I  have  observed  of  the 
natives  the  women  rule  the  ranch,  the  husbands  being 
afraid  of  their  active  tongues,  and  no  more  outspoken 
viragoes  live  than  the  women  along  the  Menam.     The 
Siamese  language  is  one  well  adapted  to  invectives  and 
indecency,   and  the  tirade  that  they  pour  forth  in  a 
moment  of  passion   is  terrible,  and   they  are  easily 
aroused.     If  well  treated  the  Siamese  women  make 
good  wives ;  they  are  industrious,  love  their  children, 
and  are  not  as  immoral  as  one  would  suppose,  consider- 
ing their  surroundings.    No  regular  marriage  ceremony 
is  observed  among  the  peons ;  two  young  persons  are 
brought  together  by  an  old  nurse  or  member  of  the 


48 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 


family,  the  young  man  sees  the  girl  and  if  he  likes  her 
he  pays  the  parents  or  guardian  from  one  hundred  to 
five  hundred  ticals,  one-half  of  which  is  used  in  giving 
a  feast  to  the  family  and  friends  of  the  contracting 
party,  the  other  to  the  girl  for  the  purpose  of  going  to 
housekeeping.  When  the  feast  is  prepared  the  bride, 
arrayed  in  silk  panung,  white  linen  jacket  with  gold 
buttons,  a  bright  silk  scarf  thrown  across  her  shoulder, 
and  her  black  hair  dressed  with  flowers,  gold  chain  and 
bracelets,  waits  for  her  lord  and  he  comes  forward, 
takes  her  by  the  hand  and  presents  her  to  his  parents 
as  his  wife,  both  prostrating  themselves  with  their  faces 
to  the  floor ;  the  priests  sprinkle  them  with  holy  water, 
read  a  few  lessons  from  the  writings  of  Buddha,  and 
she  is  then  received  and  acknowledged  as  the  wife  of  the 
bridegroom.  I  have  been  assured  that  the  taking  of  a 
second  wife  requires  no  ceremony,  the  fact  of  so  many 
ticals  having  been  paid  for  the  girl  and  she  having  been 
taken  to  the  house  of  her  purchaser  being  considered  all 
that  was  needed.  Notwithstanding  this  state  of  aifairs, 
immorality  is  not  so  prevalent  in  Siam  as  in  most 
Asiatic  kingdoms.  Strict  followers  of  Buddha,  they 
obey  his  tenets  and  believe  in  his  code  of  morals.  Pros- 
titution exists  to  a  great  extent  in  the  large  cities,  the 
bawdy  houses  in  Bangkok  being  licensed;  but  the 
revenue  derived  from  this  unholy  traffic  is  not  placed 
in  the  general  .treasury,  but  used  for  the  purpose 
of  repairing  and  opening  up  new  roads.  The  women 
are  finely  formed  and  as  graceful  as  a  Greek  statue, 
with  small  hands  and  feet,  but  they  are  not  handsome; 
exposure  to  a  tropical  sun  without  bonnets  has  bronzed 
them,  their  dark  hair  and  sparkling  eyes  redeem  their 
flaccid  features,  but  their  mouths  are  horrible,  the  chew 


Her  Majesty,  the  Supreme  or  Celestial  Queen. 


THE   PEAEL    OF   ASIA.  49 

ing  of  betel  has  ruined  their  shape  and  their  gums  and 
teeth  are  as  black  as  ebony.  During  my  stay  in  Bang 
kok  I  saw  only  a  few  handsome  women,  my  observa- 
tion being  mostly  of  those  I  met  on  the  road,  princi- 
pally peons.  The  wives  and  daughters  of  the  nobles 
are  refined  and  handsome,  but  they  are  nearly  all  small 
and  diminutive,  as  will  be  noticed  by  the  likeness  of  the 
Supreme  Queen.  At  a  garden  party,  given  by  His 
Majesty,  he  was  present  with  a  number  of  his  Queens, 
all  of  them  handsome  women,  tastefully  dressed  and 
sparkling  with  magnificent  jewels;  none  of  them  wore 
hats,  their  hair  was  ornamented  with  flowers,  their  vel- 
vet jackets  fastened  with  gold  buttons.  On  another 
occasion  I  noticed  eight  of  the  Queens  on  their  way  to 
Wat  Sa  Ket  to  attend  a  cremation,  four  each  in  open 
carriages.  They  were  handsomely  costumed,  wore 
magnificent  gems,  heavy  gold  chains,  and  were  escorted 
by  a  squadron  of  lancers;  they  chatted  merrily  as  their 
carriages  swept  on  ward  to  the  cremation  grounds,  their 
bright  eyes  taking  in  the  busy  scene,  bearing  themselves 
as  high-born  dames  and  wives  of  a  supreme  monarch. 
They  were  a  type  of  the  Siamese  seldom  seen  abroad, 
lithe  of  limb,  fashioned  as  superbly  as  was  the  dark- 
browed  Cleopatra  when  she  held  the  Roman  Caesar  in 
her  meshes,  but  they,  too,  chewed  betel,  and  lips 
parched  by  this  astringent  are  never  kissed;  that  is  a 
part  of  the  love-making  of  the  Siamese  that  is  neglected. 
Mothers  never  kiss  their  children,  lovers  their  sweet- 
hearts, husbands  their  wives;  instead,  they  rub  their 
faces  together  as  if  they  were  smelling,  and  those  that 
are  addicted  to  eating  capit  in  their  curry  or  indulging 
in  a  durian  smell  to  heaven.  Capit  is  made  by  pressing 
salt  and  prawns  together,  allowing  the  mixture  to 


50  THE   PEAEL   OF   ASIA. 

stand  until  it  becomes  putrid  and  it  is  then  used 
to  flavor  curry.  The  durian  is  considered 
the  best  fruit  on  the  coast.  It  is  shaped  like  a  melon, 
green,  with  huge  spikes  on  the  hull,  which  has  to  be 
cut  open  with  a  knife  or  hatchet,  inside  of  which  is  a 
creamy  substance  of  the  consistency  of  a  custard ;  this 
is  eaten  with  a  spoon,  and  those  that  have  a  cultivated 
taste  for  it  assert  that  it  is  the  most  delicious  fruit  that 
grows,  but  the  smell  is  terrible,  outrival! ing  Limburger 
cheese. 

A  curious  custom  prevails  among  the  women,  dusting 
themselves  with  powered  saffron,  which  they  also  sprinkle 
over  their  children,  giving  them  a  golden  appearance. 
The  reason  given  for  this  practice  is  it  keeps  them  cool 
and  is  an  antidote  for  mosquito  bites ;  but  it  is  their 
great  desire  to  have  light  complexions,  and  this  aids 
them  to  do  so.  The  lacon  girls,  that  posture  in  the 
theatres,  rub  lime  juice  on^heir  faces  which  gives  them 
a  white  appearance,  but,  with  their  black  mouths,  ren- 
ders them  hideous. 

The  lacon  or  Siamese  theatre  is  peculiar  to  the  coun- 
try. The  actors,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  clowns, 
are  females,  the  principal  performance  consists  in  pos- 
turing, though  they  have  a  number  of  plays  in  which 
the  Siamese  are  always  victorious.  The  performers 
squat  at  one  end  of  the  room,  which  is  fitted  up  as  a 
stage,  and  they  have  but  little  scenery.  When  they 
wish  to  represent  a  forest  a  performer  brings  on  a 
couple  of  trees  painted  on  canvas,  when  cavalry  is 
needed  three  or  four  of  the  girls  appear  with  little  tin 
horses  which  they  hold  by  their  sides  and  gallop  round 
the  stage.  During  their  battles,  when  a  person  is 
killed  she  lays  on  the  floor  for  a  minute  or  so,  then  gets 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  51 

up  and  walks  away.  At  times  the  clowns  get  off 
witticisms  and  vulgarisms  that  please  the  crowd  squat- 
ting round,  most  of  whom  are  women.  The  girls  are 
handsomely  costumed,  all  barefooted,  well  trained  and 
are  as  lithe  and  graceful  as  the  human  form  will  per- 
mit. They  posture  in  every  imaginable  shape  and 
bend  the  fingers  of  their  hands,  which  are  tipped  with 
gold  nails,  back  until  they  rest  on  their  wrists.  Dressed 
like  nats  or  angels,  they  wear  tall,  peaked  crowns 
similar  in  shape  to  that  worn  by  the  King  on 
state  occasions;  some  of  them  sport  costly  jewels,  having 
lovers  who  lavish  presents  on  them  like  their  western 
sisters  of  comedy,  the  leading  lady  at  the  Prince's 
theater  being  quite  an  artist.  Their  performance  is  not 
in  the  least  immodest,  and  well  worth  seeing  once  or 
twice,  after  which  it  becomes  monotonous ;  but  I  was 
informed  by  those  that  understand  the  language  that 
the  witticisms  of  the  clowns  and  many  of  the  lines 
spoken  by  the  girls  would  have  disgraced  Billingsgate 
in  ancient  days.  During  one  of  the  evenings  that  I 
attended  a  brass  band  performed  various  airs,  among 
them  "The  Star-Spangled  Banner"  and  "Dixie;"  others 
kept  up  an  ear-splitting  noise  by  beating  two  sticks 
together.  The  King  has  a  company  of  lacon  girls  in 
the  palace,  who  perform  in  the  palace  grounds  during 
state  ceremonials.  While  traveling  in  the  interior  I 
witnessed  performances  at  Ratburee  and  Petchaburee 
which  were  intended  for  merit,  the  companies  having 
been  hired  to  perform  by  some  one  who  had  made  a 
vow  while  sick  to  give  a  lacon  to  celebrate  his  recov- 
ery. They  were  held  on  the  public  square,  where  a 
stand  had  been  erected  out  of  some  rough  teak  planks, 
decorated  with  colored  tissue  paper,  on  which  was 


52  THE   PEARL  OF   ASIA. 

placed  a  roasted  hogshead  dyed  purple,  canumb,  fruit, 
rice,  flowers,  joss  sticks,  lighted  lamps,  and  other 
trumpery,  before  which  the  actors  postured  to  the 
edification  of  the  squatting  crowd  who  will  set  for 
hours  on  their  heels  watching  the  performers.  The 
food  and  other  things  were  placed  there  for  the  spirits 
to  partake  of,  and  if  it  was  not  eaten  by  them  before  the 
performance  was  over,  which  lasted  till  sunset,  it  was 
taken  home  and  eaten  by  the  girls.  Nearly  all  of  the 
Princes  have  companies  of  these  girls,  and  it  seems  as  if 
the  natives  never  tire  of  witnessing  their  performance. 
Entering  the  wat  at  Petchaburee  I  noticed  a  large  pile 
of  toys,  three  or  four  figures  of  lacon  girls  made  out 
of  baked  clay,  pasted  on  a  piece  of  wood,  also  some 
hanging  on  bushes,  and  was  informed  that  that 
was  the  way  some  of  the  natives  took  to  cheat 
the  gods,  that  when  a  lacon  was  promised  by  a 
man  when  he  was  sick  he  compromised  the 
matter  with  his  conscience  when  he  became  well 
by  purchasing  one  of  these  clay  lacons  and 
then  hang  it  up  on  a  bush  or  place  it  in  a  wat  remark 
ing  "  that  is  the  way  to  fool  him,"  meaning  the  god 
whom  he  had  supplicated  when  sick.  Others  purchase 
a  small  statue  of  Buddha  and  place  it  on  the  altar  in 
one  of  the  temples,  where  it  remains  until  it  becomes 
old  and  dingy,  when  the  priest  throws  it  into  a  corner. 
I  have  seen  several  hundred  of  them  thus  piled  up, 
having  been  cast  aside. 

Traveling  between  Bangkok  and  Petchaburee  the 
boat  is  rowed  across  an  arm  of  the  gulf  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Petchaburee  river,  a  beautiful  stream  fringed 
with  ferns  and  palms.  Reaching  there  just  as  the  sun 
was  setting  we  ran  our  boat  ashore  and  our  servants 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA-  53 

commenced  preparing  dinner,  when  all  of  a  sudden  the 

boat  was  surrounded  by  several  hundred  monkeys  and 

apes  of  all  sizes,  who  kept  up  an  incessant  chattering, 

fighting  and  quarreling.     A  gray-headed  old  fellow, 

about  five  feet  in  height,  seemed  to  be  the  leader  and 

had  a  special  spite  at  one  nearly  the  same  size.     We 

threw  bananas,  potatoes,   rice  and  various  things  to 

them  as  they  swarmed  down  to  the  boat,  apparently 

under  the  charge  of  the  leader.      Soon   the  lesser  ape 

secured  a  half  of  a  cocoanut  and  ran  off  with  it  up  a 

tree;  the   leader  missed  him  and,  seeing  the  culprit 

seated  upon  a  limb  enjoying  his  meal,   made  a  rush 

after  him  and  then  they  had  it,  very  much  to  the  delight 

of  the  boat   boys  who  were  watching  them.     After  a 

severe  tussle  they  both  fell  to  the  ground  clawing  one 

another  in   their  rapid    descent.       It  was  remarkable 

how  the  mother  monkeys  cared  for  their  little  ones, 

which  they  carry  between  their   fore  legs   with  their 

small  black  faces  sticking  out  and  clinging  fast  for  dear 

life.     After  eating  all  that  we  could  give  them  some  of 

the  monkeys  trotted  off  to  the  beach  and  washed  their 

hands  and  faces  and  ran  their  paws  through  their  hair 

as  cunningly  as  if  they  had  been  human  beings.      The 

Siamese  never  injure  a  monkey,  they  believe  that  the 

spirit  of  the  dead  go  into  them  ;  hence  they  are  tame 

and  some  of  them  very  intelligent.     A  native  Christian 

preacher,    who  resides  near  the  mouth  of  the  river, 

while    passing    along     heard     a    peculiar     noise    as 

if  some  one  was  in  distress,  and  hastening  to  the  place 

from  where  the  noise  proceeded  discovered  a  monkey 

holding  on  to  a  bush,  with  his  tail  immersed  in  the 

water,  uttering  the  most  mournful  cries.     The  poor 

animal  turned  on  him  a  look  of  entreaty,  and  catching 


54  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

hold  of  it  he  found  that  its  tail  was  clutched  fast  by  a 
large  crab.  The  monkey  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
switching  its  tail  in  the  water,  to  induce  a  crab  to  take 
hold  of  it,  then  it  would  jerk  it  out  with  the  crab 
attached,  and  thus  secure  a  meal;  but  in  this  instance  he 
had  caught  more  than  he  had  bargained  for.  Passing 
along  one  of  the  canals  my  attention  was  called  to  a 
number  of  monkeys  crossing  the  waterway.  They  had 
formed  a  bridge  of  their  bodies  across  the  canal,  by 
catching  hold  of  hands  and  swinging  over  from  the  top 
of  a  tall  tree.  The  bridge  once  formed,  the  others 
scampered  across;  the  leader  on  the  side  they  had 
crossed  to  ran  up  the  tree  as  high  as  he  could  go,  car- 
rying the  chain  or  bridge  with  him,  then  the  monkey 
who  had  clutched  the  tree  on  the  side  that  they  had 
left  let  go  and  swung  across.  As  our  boat  approached 
they  sat  in  the  trees  and  chattered,  wanting  us  to 
throw  something  out  for  them  to  eat.  Monkeys  of  all 
kind  abound  in  Siam,  from  the  orang-outang  to  the 
tiny  black  monkey,  only  a  few  inches  in  height;  but 
the  rarest  of  all  is  the  white  ape,  found  in  the  deepest 
solitudes  of  the  jungle  and  looked  upon  by  the  natives 
as  sacred,  the  tabernacle  of  some  great  nobleman's  soul 
or  possibly  a  Buddha ;  in  fact,  all  white  animals  are 
held  in  high  esteem,  white  being  their  emblem  of  pur- 

ity. 

The  vast  jungles  abound  in  all  kinds  of  tropical  ani- 
mals, ranging  from  the  royal  tiger,  which  is  as  large  as 
an  ox,  down  to  the  most  ferocious  wild  cats  and  bears. 
Cheetahs,  leopards,  deer  and  other  animals  can  be 
found  close  to  Bangkok,  and  aiford  sport  to  the  adven- 
turous hunter  who  is  willing  to  brave  the  miasma  of 
the  forest  in  pursuance  of  his  sport. 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASTA.  55 

Among  the  dank  vegetation  of  the  jungle  venomous 
and  other  serpents  abound,  the  largest  of  which 
are  the  python  and  the  boa,  many  of  them  over 
forty  feet  in  length,  and  are  killed  by 
the  natives  for  their  skins,  which  are  taken  to  China 
and  tanned,  the  leather  being  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  musical  instruments  and  fiddle  strings;  the  flesh  is 
also  regarded  as  a  dainty,  the  natives  having  an  idea 
that  it  gives  them  strength  and  is  a  remedy  for  the 
many  ills  that  they  are  heir  to.  The  hooded  cobra  is 
one  of  the  most  venomous,  but  there  are  scores  of  them 
lurking  in  the  shade  and  slime  that  would  prove  deadly 
if  they  should  strike  a  person  with  their  fangs,  among 
them  one  about  a  foot  in  length;  beautiful  to  look  at, 
whose  bite  is  so  fatal  that  death  almost  follows 
instantly,  and  it  is  dreaded  by  all,  as  it  is  frequently 
found  coiled  up  in  a  basket  of  fruit ;  among  the  most 
curious  is  one  that  has  a  head  at  each  end,  but  the  most 
singular  is  the  bull  snake,  a  small  reptile  about  four 
inches  long  with  a  head  shaped  like  that  of  a  bull, 
which  lies  in  the  grass  unobserved,  and  its  bite  is  more 
like  the  pricking  of  a  thorn  than  anything  else,  which, 
if  unheeded  till  next  day,  will  cause  the  victim  to  swell 
rapidly;  then,  if  heroic  measures  are  not  at  once  resorted 
to,  death  will  soon  follow.  I  do  not  think  that  there 
is  another  spot  on  our  planet  that  can  discount  the 
jungles  of  Siam  or  her  gulf  and  rivers  in  snakes,  nine- 
tenths  of  which  are  venomous;  but,  notwithstanding 
such  is  the  fact,  but  few  of  the  natives  are  bitten, 
and  it  is  seldom  that  one  hears  of  a  death  from  their 
sting.  To  realize  the  number  of  these  reptiles,  a  visit  to 
the  King's  palace  at  the  mango  gardens  will  suffice, 
where  there  are  many  preserved  in  alcohol,  others  dried. 


56  THE    PEAKL    OF   ASIA. 

In  some  parts  of  the  kingdom  alligators  abound,  speci- 
mens of  which  can  be  seen  at  Wat  Po  and  at  the  King's 
garden,  where  they  are  kept  by  the  priests  to  exhibit 
to  the  curious  who  pay  a  small  amount  to  see  them  fed. 
They  are  very  much  like  the  alligators  of  our  Southern 
lagoons,  but  are  looked  upon  by  the  natives  as  some- 
thing remarkable  and  with  great  dread.  It  is  their 
belief  that  they  subsist  on  children,  and  I  was  told  of 
many  instances  where  children  were  taken  out  of  their 
cradle  by  these  hideous  monsters,  but  found  that  there 
was  no  truth  in  them. 

There  are  more  than  forty  kinds  of  snakes,  some  few 
of  which  inflict  deadly  wounds  with  their  tails,  but  the 
most  venomous  is  one  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  in  length 
that  has  the  power  of  reflecting  prismatic  colors,  and 
another,  about  seven  feet  in  length,  it  is  reported,  is  so 
poisonous  that  it  kills  every  living  thing  it  touches 
when  excited,  such  as  trees,  grass,  etc.,  and  when  dead 
the  poison  which  was  imparted  to  them  will  dart  into 
the  hand  or  foot  of  any  one  that  may  come  in  contact 
with  it.  Boas  frequently  come  into  Bangkok.  Early 
one  morning  I  heard  a  great  outcry  in  front  of  the 
Legation,  and  upon  inquiring  the  cause  learned  that  a 
large  boa  was  coiled  up  in  the  branches  of  a  banyan 
tree,  trying  to  catch  a  peacock,  that  the  noise  was  occa- 
sioned by  the  boys  in  attempting  to  capture  it.  After 
firing  at  it  several  times  it  uncoiled  slowly  from  the 
limb  and  fell  with  a  terrible  plunge  into  the  river, 
nearly  capsizing  a  Chinaman's  boat  who  was  looking 
on.  It  could  not  have  been  less  than  thirty  feet  in 
length.  It  is  said  that  the  boas  found  in  the  city  are 
but  puny  fellows  compared  with  those  in  the  jungle, 
which  are  from  fifteen  to  thirty  cubits  in  length,  with 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA.  57 

a  girth  around  the  middle,  when  not  particularly  filled, 
of  from  thirty  to  fifty  inches.     They  feed  on  deer  and 
other  large  animals  which  they  charm,  crush  in  their 
coils  and  swallow  whole.     According  to  the  natives 
they  are  amphibious,  live  also  on  fish  and  have  the 
power  of  dipping  canals  and  shallow  ponds  dry  when 
seeking  food.     They  also  believe  that  in  all  the  great 
rivers  there  is  an  animal  they  call  Nguak-ngoo,  similar 
to  a  snake,  but  having  a  head  like  a  woman,  with  long 
hair,  a  regular  mermaid.     It  ranges  in  length  from 
thirty  to  fifty  feet,  and  its  bite  is  fatal,  not  poisonous, 
but  it  has  the  power  to  suck  all  the  blood  out  of  the 
body  of  a  man  or  animal  when  they  drag  them  to  their 
subaquatic  caverns;  hence,  when  a  body  disappears  and 
does  not  rise  in  the  river  and  float  they  say  a  Nguak 
has  got  it.    All  kinds  of  spirits  are  supposed  to  dwell  in 
the  rivers,  and  offerings  are  frequently  made  to  them. 
Birds  of  the  rarest  plumage  abound  throughout  Siam, 
but  few  are  songsters.     High  in  air  fly  innumerable 
gulls,  on  airy  pinions,  flashing  like  brilliant  jewels  in 
the  dazzling  sunlight.     "When  evening  comes  and  the 
shadows  fall  the  air  is  filled  with  crows  wending  their 
way   to  their  roosts  in  the  tall  trees  that  embower 
some  wat.     Myriads  of  little  sparrows  fly  through  the 
verandahs  and  nest  in  the  ceilings  and  curtains  of  your 
home ;  parrots  and  paroquets  flash  their  gorgeous  plum- 
age amid  the  foliage  of  the  banyan  and  tamarind  trees; 
humming  birds,  with  tremulous  wings,  suck  the  sweets 
from   fragrant  flowers,  pelicans   sit  moodily   on  the 
banks  of  river  or  canal  with  pouch  filled  with  fish,  and 
tbe  miner  bird,  the  rarest  of  its  species,  with  ebon 
plumage  and   gold   band  around  its  neck,  talks    as 
fluently  as  if  of  humankind.    Hanging  on  trees  can  be 


58  THE    PEAEL   OF   ASIA. 

seen  hundreds  of  curiously  fashioned  cones,  about  a 
foot  in  length,  woven  from  straw  and  bark  by  a  small 
bird  about  the  size  of  a  swallow,  their  nests,  into  which 
they  enter  at  an  aperture  near  the  bottom  so  as  to  pro- 
tect the  inside  from  rain  or  the  depredation  of  hostile 
birds,    who    would    otherwise    rob    their    dwellings. 
Along  the  coast  and  islands  is  a  small  swallow  that 
makes  its  nest  out  of  sea-foam,  which  it  gathers  with 
its  bill  and  blows  on  a  rock  in  a  cave  or  crevice  and 
keeps  at  its  weary  work  until  it  forms  a  perfect  nest, 
in  size  and  shape  of  that  of  a  sparrow,  in  which  it  lays 
its  eggs.     These  nests  seem  to  be  made  of  gelatine  and 
are  eagerly  sought  for  by  the  denizens  of  the  coast  and 
sold  in  Bangkok  and  China  for  several  dollars  an  ounce, 
being  worth  more  than  five  times  their  weight  in  silver, 
some  of  the  nests  weighing  three  ounces.    The  Chinese 
esteem  them  a  great  delicacy,  but  they  are  tasteless 
and  when  converted  into  a  liquid  can  be  flavored  to 
suit  the  taste.      Out  in  the  jungle  are  hundreds  of 
birds  not  to  be  found  in  the  groves  in  and  around 
the  capital    city,    such    as  the  adjutant,    a  gigantic 
crane,  which  stands  on  his  legs  six  feet  high  ;  the  bird 
of  Paradise,  white  and  blue  peacocks,  jungle  fowl,  the 
progenitors  of  our  chickens,  geese,  cranes,  snipe,  and  a 
demi-crane,  about  the  size  of  a  raven,  dazzling  white, 
with      yellow    legs    and     bill ;    tukans,     cockatoos, 
owls   and    many    others    quaint    and   curious,  living 
rainbows  in  color  and  animated  gleams  of  glory.     A 
collection  of  the  birds  of  Siam   would  be  invaluable, 
many  of  them  unknown  to  the  naturalist. 

No  portion  of  the  world  is  more  plethoric  with 
fish  than  the  waters  of  this  favored  land,  its  gulf, 
rivers  and  canals  teeming  with  them,  many  rare 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  59 

and  curious.  One  of  the  most  valuable  is  the 
platoo,  a  fish  about  the  size  of  our  herring, 
which  is  caught  in  immense  quantities  in  the 
gulf,  and  after  being  cured  by  the  peculiar  process 
of  steaming  and  salting  they  are  shipped  to  Singapore 
and  the  islands  south.  It  is  one  of  the  most  delicious 
pan  fish  ever  cooked  and  is  very  popular  in  Bangkok. 
PI  a  tapeng,  a  large  fresh- water  fish,  is  also  much 
sought  after,  as  is  the  pla  chado.  The  Siamese  smoke 
and  dry  a  good  many  fish,  and  boats  filled  with  them 
can  be  found  on  the  river  and  along  the  canals  where 
they  are  retailed  to  the  natives.  As  they  are  very 
salty  purchasers  use  them  for  seasoning  their  rice.  For 
this  purpose  the  pla  hang  is  most  in  demand,  similar  to 
our  herring,  also  the  pla  kooron  and  the  pla  chalamet. 
Large  numbers  of  prawns  and  crabs  are  sold  cheap,  as 
in  fact  are  fish  of  all  kind.  Most  of  those  disposed  of 
in  Bangkok  are  brought  up  from  the  gulf  in  row  boats, 
a  distance  of  thirty-five  miles,  which  the  fishermen 
make  in  a  few  hours.  Oysters  abound  in  the  gulf,  but 
they  are  small,  about  the  size  of  a  nickle,  yet,  when 
cooked,  are  finely  flavored,  in  some  of  which  pearls 
are  found  ;  muscles  and  other  shell  fish  are  gathered  in 
abundance  along  the  shores  of  the  gulf  and  islands,  the 
bottoms  of  vessels  soon  becoming  covered  with  them. 
While  on  the  coast  I  was  shown  many  curious  and  rare 
specimens  of  fish,  some  as  round  as  a  ball  with  spikes 
like  a  porcupine,  others  with  heads  like  a  cow,  and  had 
a  chance  to  notice  the  antics  of  the  climbing  perch,  a 
medium-sized  fish,  which  will  climb  up  a  bush  or  plank 
to  catch  a  fly.  When  the  tide  falls  it  makes  a 
round  basin  a  foot  or  more  in  diameter,  by  throwing 
up  mud  with  its  mouth,  which  will  hold  water 


60  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

sufficient  for  its  wants  till  the  tide  rises ;  during  the 
interval  it  skirmishes  round  in  the  mud  for  food  and 
when  it  meets  a  fellow  a  battle  royal  takes  place,  fight- 
ing fiercely,  frequently  injuring  one  another.  I  have 
seen  thousands  of  them  at  a  time  making  their  little 
reservoirs.  Another  curious  fish  is  the  spitting  perch, 
about  two  inches  in  length,  and  when  a  fly  or  other 
insect  lights  near  it  it  shoots  a  drop  of  water  from  its 
mouth  with  great  accuracy  and  rarely  misses  its  mark, 
thus  securing  its  food.  The  fighting  fish  I  have  spoken 
of  elsewhere.  In  the  aquariums  of  the  nobles  can  be 
found  some  very  rare  fish,  brought  from  Japan  and 
China,  gold  fish  with  six  and  seven  tails  beautifully 
marked,  and  when  swimming  in  a  glass  globo  or  in  the 
basin  of  a  fountain  seem  more  like  the  creation  of 
fancy  than  a  reality.  A  very  peculiar  fish  is  found  in 
the  rice  fields,  when  they  are  flooded,  with  skin  and 
color  similar  to  a  cat-fish.  They  are  very  numerous 
and  boat-loads  are  brought  to  market.  The  musical 
fish  is  unknown  outside  these  waters ;  it  is  smaller  than 
a  minnow,  and  hundreds  of  them  will  fasten  themselves 
on  the  bottom  of  a  boat  or  other  hard  substance  and 
keep  up  a  noise  like  drumming,  to  the  uninitiated  it 
sounds  like  weird  music  coming  up  from  the  depths  of 
the  waters.  Many  of  the  gulf  fish  weigh  from  ten  to 
fifteen  pounds,  and  no  banquet  is  considered  complete 
without  a  pla  chado  or  a  pla  tapong.  Prawns,  also, 
enter  largely  into  the  diet  of  the  Siamese,  especially 
for  curries  and  the  manufacture  of  capit ;  in  fact,  the 
finny  tribe  is  one  of  the  essentials  for  the  sustenance  of 
the  people,  as  many  have  but  little  else  but  fish  and 
rice  to  subsist  on.  Frogs  of  all  kind  abound,  from  the 
tiny  toad  to  the  mammoth  bull-frog,  and  the  nights  are 


TIIE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  61 

made  hideous  by  their  croaking ;  the  natives  consider 
them  good  eating  and  catch  large  numbers.  One  of 
the  rarest  of  the  species  is  the  whistling  frog,  which 
always  pipes  his  notes  before  a  rain  and  whistles  melod- 
iously. It  is  very  rare,  and  the  only  one  that  I  ever 
heard  was  in  the  banyan  tree  in  the  American  Legation 
grounds.  Many  were  skeptical  in  regard  to  this  frog 
till  they  heard  it  whistling. 

Insects  and  reptiles  find  a  Paradise  in  this  sun-kissed 
land  of  verdure,  every  bush  and  shrub  is  a  habitation 
for  them ;  but  a  strange  thing  is  to  be  noted,  that  save 
during  the  durian  season  but  few  flies  can  be  seen,  no 
lice,  scarcely  any  roaches  or  fleas,  but  a  world  of  ants, 
red,  black  and  white,  the  latter  the  most  destructive  of 
the  species.  Wherever  they  find  a  lodgment  they 
destroy  everything  that  comes  in  their  way,  books,  cloth- 
ing, furniture,  wood  of  all  kinds.  Many  valuable  arti- 
cles have  been  destroyed  by  these  pests  before  it  was 
known  that  they  had  made  an  inroad,  and  every  one  is 
on  the  lookout  for  them  ;  they  are  the  curse  of  the  coun- 
try. To  new  comers  the  chin  choke  and  tokay  are  very 
annoying,  but  harmless.  They  are  lizards  and  infest 
every  dwelling;  the  first  is  about  six  or  eight  inches  in 
length,  the  latter  a  foot  and  over  and  derives  its  name 
from  the  way  it  utters  its  cry  "  tokay,"  which  can  be 
heard  a  long  distance.  They  are  beneficial  about  a 
house,  when  one  becomes  accustomed  to  them,  as  they 
destroy  mosquitos  and  insects.  On  one  occasion  I  saw 
a  tokay  capture  a  bat,  after  a  long  struggle,  and  eat  it 
with  much  gusto.  Chameleons  run  up  and  down  the 
trees,  changing  color  as  they  come  and  go,  peering  at 
you  with  their  sparkling  eyes.  Butterflies  and  moths 
flit  about  and  some  of  the  latter  are  of  immense  size: 


62  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

one  that  I  savvT  measured,  from  wing  to  wing1,  was 
found  to  be  over  nine  inches,  a  thing  of  beauty,  bril- 
liant with  gold  and  purple  and  emerald.  Among  the 
rarest  of  the  insect  kingdom  is  the  leaf  fly.  It  is  a 
perfect  leaf,  green  as  if  just  plucked  from  the  parent 
stem,  about  the  size  and  shape  of  a  green  briar  leaf, 
and  it  astonishes  the  beholder  when,  he  goes  to  pick  one 
up  to  see  it  glide  away,  and  it  is  only  by  catching  one 
and  examining  it  that  you  realize  that  it  is  one  of 
nature's  strange  freaks.  Another  is  called  the  bamboo 
bug,  resembling  a  small  section  of  bamboo  so  perfectly 
that  when  you  stoop  down  to  pick  it  up  and  feel  it  slip 
through  your  fingers  and  hide  itself  in  the  grass 
you  find  yourself  wondering  what  kind  of  creation 
it  is.  Shortly  after  a  shower,  when  the  rain 
first  sets  in,  the  air  is  filled  with  winged  ants,  that  come 
up  out  of  the  ground,  and  they  remind  you  of  flying 
snow-flakes  during  a  storm,  pouring  in  streams  through 
doors  and  windows,  choking  the  lamps,  as  sometimes 
do  the  millers  and  candle  flies,  at  night,  but  the  great- 
est nuisance  is  the  festive  mosquito.  He  sings  most 
loyally  the  same  song  in  the  valley  of  the  Menam  that 
he  does  on  the  Jersey  flats  and  runs  his  bill  in  the 
liveliest  manner.  For  a  year  or  two  he  fattens  on 
strangers,  then  one  becomes  inoculated  with  mosquito 
virus  and  he  seeks  daintier  food ;  but  he  is  a  bloated 
aristocrat  and  frequently  contains  some  of  the  best 
blood  of  Bangkok  in  his  corporosity.  Spiders  innu- 
merable and  of  gigantic  proportions  spread  their 
glittering  webs  on  all  sides  and  find  their  way  to  every 
portion  of  the  dwelling  houses,  all  colors,  kinds  and 
sizes,  many  of  them  poisonous,  but  the  natives  pay  but 
little  attention  to  them. 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  63 

The  fruit  of  Siam  comprises  everything  that  grows 
in  a  tropical  climate:  Oranges,  limes,  pampelmos, 
citrons,  pomegranites,  bananas  of  all  kinds,  cocoanuts, 
tamarinds,  bale  fruit,  makroot  or  fragrant  lime,  jack 
fruit,  mangoes,  linchee,  maprang,  a  grape-like  fruit ; 
pine  apples,  water  and  musk  mellons,  rose  apples, 
durians,  bread  fruit,  satawn,  mangosteens,  look 
sala,  custard  apples,  guavas,  klooi  kei,  champoo 
daang  or  red  rose  apples;  look  lamoot,  a  sweet 
plumb ;  lookk  cheeop,  Kochelle  fruit  and  many 
others  that  are  daily  offered  for  sale  in 
boats  and  in  the  bazaars.  The  illustration  of  fruits 
gives  but  a  few  of  the  many  fruits  of  this  prolific  sec- 
tion, in  which  should  be  included  the  betel  nut  and 
palm  fruit.  The  betel  to  the  Siamese  is  what  tobacco 
is  to  the  western  nations  or  opium  to  the  Chinese. 
Fruit  is  very  cheap,  especially  bananas,  which  go 
largely  to  make  up  the  daily  food  of  many  families. 
Vegetables  of  all  kinds  are  raised  in  the  gardens 
adjacent  to  the  city,  which  are  irrigated  during  the  dry 
season,  and  the  markets  are  thus  daily  supplied  in 
abundance,  but  the  best  cabbage  and  white 
potatoes  are  brought  from  China.  Indian  corn, 
small  ears,  is  plentiful  and  roasted  on  furnaces  is  sold 
on  the  avenues  by  vendors ;  turnips,  radishes,  tomatoes, 
onions  and  garlic,  beans,  peas,  etc.,  grow  in  profusion. 
Tobacco  is  raised  in  small  quantities  in  various  parts 
of  the  kingdom  and  would  be  more  extensively  culti- 
vated were  it  not  for  the  excessive  tax  demanded  by  the 
government,  ten  per  cent,  on  the  crop.  Cotton  is 
gathered  from  large  trees,  forty  and  fifty  feet  in 
height;  the  fiber  is  short  but  is  used  in  filling  mattresses, 
pillows  and  cushions,  but  the  natives  spin  considerable 


64  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

of  it  into  cloth  and  use  it  for  other  purposes ;  the  finer 
sort,  vegetable  cotton,  is  also  cultivated  in  the  Lao 
states  and  parts  of  the  lower  country  and  called  paw. 
It  also  pays  a  tax  of  ten  per  cent.  Cattle  and  hogs  are 
raised  in  great  numbers,  and  butcher  shops  can  be 
found  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  as  meat  is  sold  in  all  of 
the  bazaars;  mutton  is  expensive,  the  sheep  are  imported 
from  China  and  it  retails  at  35  cents  per  pound,  while 
other  meat  sells  at  eight  and  ten  cents.  The  beeves 
are  small  with  a  hump  on  their  shoulders  and  are 
exhibited  in  the  menageries  as  the  sacred  cattle  of 
Burmah;  they  are  about  the  size  and  color  of  a  Jersey, 
but  are  never  used  for  milk,  the  natives  being  too  indo- 
lent to  milk  them.  The  hogs  are  large,  of  all  colors, 
sway  backed,  and  their  flesh  is  superior  to  any  other 
pork,  according  to  western  taste.  Chickens  and  ducks 
are  cheap,  hatched  by  the  thousand  in  paddy  (rice) 
husks,  and  the  duck  farms  are  worthy  a  visit  from  the 
curious  in  such  matters,  the  owners  feeding  their 
large  broods  on  fish  and  other  offal.  Some  turkeys 
are  raised,  but  the  price  asked  is  so  high,  $10  apiece, 
that  it  is  only  on  state  occasions  that  they  .are  served 
up;  but  a  banquet  is  considered  incomplete  without  one 
or  more  to  grace  the  board.  Peacocks  are  also  eaten 
and  are  better  than  turkeys,  but  not  so  expensive. 

The  Siamese  are  adepts  in  moulding  statuets  from 
clay,  which  they  burn  and  color.  I  have  seen  some  very 
handsome,  the  equal  in  design  to  those  manufactured  in 
Italy.  They  also  mould  and  make  large  numbers  of 
statues  of  Buddha,  from  an  inch  in  height  to  those  of 
mammoth  proportions,  of  bronze,  which  they  gild.  For 
over  a  mile  along  one  of  the  klongs  can  be  seen  numer- 
ous workshops  used  exclusively  for  the  manufacture  of 


THE    PEARL    OF    A  f>5 

these  idols  or  statues.  Porcelain  is  manufactured  in 
many  parts  of  the  kingdom,  some  very  handsome,  and 
the  pottery  industry  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  in 
Siam.  Jars,  jugs,  pots,  pans,  furnaces  and  many  other 
household  articles  are  made  in  immense  numbers  and 
retailed  by  peddlers  in  boats,  a  large  jar  holding  a  bar- 
rel of  water  selling  for  fifty-five  cents  or  ats.  These 
large  jars  are  used  for  catching  rain  water  during  the 
rainy  season,  in  the  place  of  a  cistern,  the  water  being 
used  for  drinking  purposes,  that  in  the  river  being  too 
filthy  for  use,  the  refuse  of  the  city  being  dumped 
into  it. 

Chinese  artisans  abound,  workers  in  gold,  silver,  cop- 
per, brass  or  iron  ;  some  of  their  work  is  artistic  and 
novel,  their  gold  and  silver  jewelry  is  very  handsome 
and  unique,  especially  that  which  is  set  with  sapphires 
and  rubies.  The  stones  are  found  in  the  ruby  fields 
that  lie  adjacent  to  Chantaboon,  a  populous  city  on  the 
west  side  of  the  gulf,  where  the  pepper  plantations 
abound.  The  iron  workers  are  also  very  skillful  and 
manufacture  everything  needed  out  of  that  useful  metal 
which  is  smelted  in  the  hill  country  in  the  most  primi- 
tive fashion,  but  it  is  of  a  superior  quality,  as  can  be 
seen  from  the  swords  and  knives  fashioned  from  it. 
Several  gold  mines  have  been  worked  in  various  parts 
of  the  country  and  considerable  of  the  royal  metal 
unearthed,  both  from  quartz  and  placer  washings,  but 
at  present  only  one  is  but  partially  operated;  the 
expensive  machinery  imported  for  that  purpose  fast 
falling  to  decay,  and  the  Europeans  in  charge  under 
standing  but  little  about  mining,  drawing  large  salaries 
and  doing  but  little  for  it  in  return.  The  metal  used 
in  the  fabrication  of  jewelry  is  pure  gold  leaf,  brought 


66  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

from  China,  and  is  twenty-two  karats  fine,  too  soft  for 
general  wear,  but  a  vast  amount  is  annually  converted 
into  chains,  bracelets,  anklets,  rings,  ear  and  finger 
rings,  charms,  pendants,  plate,  tea-pots,  belts,  betel 
boxes,  salvers,  etc.  The  wealth  of  many  of  the  peo- 
ple consists  of  jewelry,  so  that  no  matter  what  may 
happen  they  can  hold  on  to  their  treasure.  So  far  no 
silver  has  ever  been  found  in  Siam,  but  tin  is  being 
mined  extensively  in  the  Malay  peninsula,  and  it  is  fast 
becoming  an  article  of  commerce,  shipped  to  America 
and  Europe 

The  main  industry  is  the  planting  and  rearing  of  rice, 
which  is  shipped  to  various  parts  of  the  world,  and  the 
rafting  of  teak  timber  down  the  Menam  to  be  shipped 
abroad;  it  is  also  used  in  Bangkok  for  the  erection  of 
buildings,  floating  houses,  bunding,  vessels  and  boats, 
in  fact,  it  is  the  only  timber  available  for  such  purposes. 
Bamboo  is  also  extensively  used  for  light  structures,  and 
is  cut  in  the  interior  and  rafted  down  the  streams.  The 
teak  forests  are  located  about  three  hundred  miles  in 
the  interior  and  are  being  rapidly  cleared  up,  much  of 
the  work  done  by  elephants;  these  sagacious  animals 
dragging  the  logs  to  the  river  and  piling  them  to  await 
the  annual  rise  of  the  water,  when  the  rafts  are  formed 
and  floated  down  the  stream.  At  one  place  on  the 
river  a  spirit  tax  is  levied.  The  bonze  and  soothsayers 
charge  a  number  of  ticals  to  keep  the  spirits  or  lorlei 
of  the  stream  from  harming  the  raft  men,  and  no  native 
will  pass  that  point  till  these  guardians  of  the  stream  are 
paid  and  the  raft  blessed  by  a  weird  and  solemn  cere- 
mony. At  various  points  government  officials  levy  and 
collect  a  custom  tax  as  the  raft  passes,  which  frequently 
causes  delay  and  litigation,  the  officials  squeezing  all  that 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  67 

the}r  can  get  out  of  the  teak  traders,  and  each  one  of 
them  are  required  to  have  his  private  mark  on  file  and 
properly  registered.  Dacoits,  also, depredate  along  the 
river  and  rob  the  raftsmen  and  boats,  so  that  at  times 
it  is  hazardous  to  travel  on  the  stream,  and  parties 
have  to  go  well  armed,  as  it  is  better  to  rely  on  self- 
defense  than  to  appeal  to  the  native  officials,  the 
umpers,  who  correspond  with  our  justices  of  the 
peace,  most  of  whom  are  corrupt  and  incompetent.  It 
was  the  general  belief  among  foreigners  that  many  of 
these  officials  winked  at  the  transactions  of  the 
dacoits  and  reaped  part  of  the  profits  of  their 
brigandage.  This  state  of  affairs  is  well  considered  one 
of  the  drawbacks  of  the  country  and  tends  to  check  its 
growth  and  progress;  no  native  is  safe  from  the  greed 
of  rapacious  officials  ;  hence  they  do  not  try  to  accumu- 
late, and  their  taxes  are  excessive.  The  international 
court  at  Bangkok  is  a  fraud  that  should  be  abolished, 
as  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  a  case  tried,  and  fre- 
quently when  it  is  heard  it  takes  months  to  get  a  decis- 
ion, and  you  are  never  sure  of  justice.  His  Majesty  is 
trying  to  remedy  this  evil,  but  it  is  hydra-headed, 
beyond  the  power  of  a  Hercules  to  remedy.  Bangkok 
is  well  policed  and  strangers  are  safer  there  than  in  any 
American  or  European  city  of  metropolitan  proportions. 
During  my  five  years  stay  in  that  city  and  trips  through 
the  country  I  never  heard  of  a  white  person  being 
molested,  and  it  is  my  belief  that  a  foreigner  could  walk 
from  one  end  of  Bangkok  to  the  other  at  midnight  and 
not  be  interfered  with.  The  police  are  neatly  uni- 
formed and  numbered  and  the  city  laid  off  into  three 
departments,  each  under  the  control  of  a  superintendent, 
who  reports  directly  to  the  mayor,  one  of  the  Princes 


68  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

In  the  native  courts  native  lawyers  practice,  but 
their  idea  of  law  and  justice  is  ver}'  crude  and  their  cli- 
ents are  generally  badly  plucked;  when  the  lawyer  is 
paid  and  the  court  officials  are  properly  greased  so  that 
the  wheels  of  justice  may  run  smooth,  there  is  but  little 
left. 

Peonage  prevails  throughout  Siam  in  its  worst  form. 
A  native  once  in  debt  can  scarcely  ever  shake  off  the 
shackles,  he  is  virtually  a  slave  for  life.  Prior  to  the 
reign  of  King  Chulalongkorn  a  man  could  sell  his  wife 
and  children  and  they  were  subject  to  arrest  for  debt, 
but  much  of  that  has  been  done  away  with  and  no 
child  can  now  be  sold  for  a  longer  term  than  when 
it  becomes  of  age,  nor  is  a  man  allowed  to  gamble  away 
his  wife  or  children.  It  is  the  intention  of  the  King 
to  do  away  with  the  whole  system  as  soon  as  his  peo- 
ple are ,  ripe  for  it.  He  has  already  done  more  in  this 
direction  than  any  other  oriental  sovereign,  ranking 
him  with  other  great  reformers  the  Alexander  of  the 
East.  He  is  kind  and  humane  to  a  fault,  and  but  sel- 
dom is  the  death  penalty  exacted  for  crime  among  his 
subjects. 

The  musical  instruments,  of  the  Siamese  are  quite 
numerous  and  some  of  them  very  peculiar,  gongs, 
drums,  flutes,  string  instruments,  harps,  and  a  crescent- 
shaped  instrument  fitted  up  with  glasses  which,  when 
hit  with  a  small  wand,  makes  excellent  music,  the  per- 
former sitting  on  the  floor  before  it ;  but  the  most  sin- 
gular is  the  Lao  reed  or  bamboo  organ,  which  is  made 
of  fourteen  pipes  of  reed  or  bamboo  of  various  lengths, 
ranging  from  six  to  ten  feet,  placed  in  pairs  and  fas- 
tened with  ribbons  of  bamboo  ;  near  the  base  is  an  oval 
piece  of  teak  or  some  rare  wood,  into  which  the  reeds 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  69 

open,  the  mouthpiece,  which  is  hollowed  out  with  a 
small  aperture  to  blow  in.  Each  pipe  has  a  fingerhole 
immediately  above  the  block  and  another  more  or  less 
removed  from  the  base,  regulating  the  tone.  When 
used  the  organ  is  held  by  placing  the  hands  around  the 
block,  holding  it  in  an  upright  position,  blowing  into 
the  aperture,  requiring  a  strong  pair  of  lungs  to  fill  it. 
Its  music,  when  in  the  hands  of  a  skillful  performer,  is 
peculiarly  sweet  and  spirit-stirring,  its  symphony  like 
the  organs  in  our  churches,  but  not  so  loud,  the  strains 
being  soft  and  melting.  The  young  men  serenade 
their  girls  at  night  with  these  organs  and  they  are 
adepts  at  it,  some  of  them  very  fine  performers.  The 
Kawng  Wong  is  another  peculiar  instrument,  which 
consists  of  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  small  gongs  or 
bells,  so  regulated  as  to  form  a  perfect  scale  of  notes 
of  the  same  number,  and  is  shaped  so  as  to  form  three- 
quarters  of  a  circle  three  feet  in  diameter,  suspended 
by  two  cords  within  a  neat  frame  of  woodwork,  ele- 
vating the  circle  about  a  foot  from  the  floor,  the  per- 
former sitting  cross-legged  within  the  circle  holding  a 
small  mallet  in  each  hand  with  which  he  taps  the  gong 
and  thus  makes  the  most  fascinating  music,  entirely 
unlike  the  Chinese,  which  is  anything  else  but  pleasing 
to  the  ear. 

One  of  the  characteristics  of  Siam  is  to  be  noted, 
especially  in  the  interior.  When  you  call  on  a  high 
noble  your  approach  will  be  announced  by  the  servants 
all  squatting  down  before  you,  and  when  you  reach  his 
anti-chamber  and  are  ushered  into  his  presence  they 
all  fall  on  their  hands  and  knees  before  him,  with  their 
faces  to  the  floor  and  do  not  dare  to  look  upward. 
When  they  approach  him  for  the  purpose  of  handing 


70  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

betel  or  anything  else,  they  crawl  forward  in  a  crouch- 
ing manner  and  always  throw  their  clasped  hands  up 
before  their  face,  the  usual  form  of  salutation.  When 
a  Siamese  desires  to  rest  he  squats  down  on  his  heels 
and  will  remain  in  that  position  for  hours, 
never  sitting  on  a  chair  or  a  bench,  and 
when  they  eat  they  all  squat  around  the  rice  pot 
and  dip  in  promiscuously,  eating  with  their  fingers.  In 
former  times  every  one  fell  down  with  his  face  to  the 
ground  when  the  King  or  a  prince  passed  by ;  but  His 
Majesty  has  done  away  with  much  of  this  oriental  sub- 
serviency. To  him  and  his  father  this  people  are 
indebted  for  many  reforms,  religious  as  well  as  social. 

In  parts  of  the  country  exists  a  singular  race 
of  beings,  known  as  Jungle  people,  who  hold  but  little 
intercourse  with  the  outside  world,  live  in  the  densest 
jungles,  build  their  habitations  in  the  boughs  of  trees, 
are  devil  worshipers  and  have  a  language  peculiarly 
their  own,  not  using  over  fifty  words.  They  average 
about  five  feet  in  stature,  are  dark  copper-colored,  have 
no  fixed  laws;  generally  reside  in  villages  of  from  ten 
to  fifteen  families,  which  is  controlled  by  an  elder  or 
head  man,  whom  they  obey.  Persons  who  have  pene- 
trated the  jungle  and  seen  their  dwellings  could  do 
nothing  with  them,  they  are  very  suspicious  of  strang- 
ers, have  no  use  for  or  knowledge  of  the  value  of 
money,  but  would  at  times  barter  skins  for  cotton 
cloth  and  knives ;  the  former  they  tear  into  strips  about 
six  inches  in  width,  which  they  wear  as  a  panung,  all 
the  clothing  they  use,  men  and  women  alike.  They 
are  but  a  slight  remove  from  the  orang-outang,  tne 
great  Malayan  ape,  found  in  the  same  jungle,  and  it  is 
thought  that  they  are  a  remnant  of  the  aborigines  of 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  71 

the  country,  now  nearly  died  out,  pretty  near  the  con- 
necting link  between  man  and  beast.  It  is  but  seldom 
that  they  are  seen,  they  live  on  fruit  and  nothing  but 
the  direst  necessity  will  cause  them  to  enter  a  village 
or  solicit  aid  of  any  kind.  Brutal,  ignorant,  decrepid, 
dirty  and  dwarf  eel,  .they  are  a  type  of  humanity  to  be 
found  in  no  other  section  and  are  sometimes  called  by 
the  more  advanced  natives  monkey  men.  At  one  time 
King  Theebaw,  of  Burmah,  had  a  family  of  them  in 
his  palace  at  Maulmain.  It  is  said  that  the  Malayan 
ape  took  its  name  from  these  jungle  people. 

In  the  country  bordering  between  Siam  proper  and 
the  Lao  states  are  some  very  fine  iron  mines,  espec- 
ially in  the  mountainous  country  of  Matabar,  where 
can  be  found  a  growth  of  large  pine  trees,  it 
being  beyond  the  teak  range.  Ben  Bor,  the 
town  in  which  the  miners  live,  is  two  days 
travel  from  where  the  ore  is  mined.  The  ground 
surrounding  it  being  very  sterile,  the  miners  imagine 
that  the  country  is  infested  with  evil  spirits,  and  at 
stated  periods  they  go  there  in  bodies  of  from  two  to 
three  hundred  at  a  time  and  carry  with  them  bullocks, 
pigs,  fowls,  and  other  things  which  they  offer  to  the 
spirits  as  a  conciliatory  sacrifice,  with  solemn  ceremo- 
nies ;  otherwise  they  think  that  misfortune  would  over- 
take them.  The  iron  is  abundant,  but  hard  to  mine,  as 
everything  is  carried  on  in  the  most  primitive  manner. 
When  smelted  it  is  conveyed  to  the  towns  for  sale  in 
small  pigs  on  elephants,  each  animal  carrying  from  four 
to  five  hundred  pounds.  The  process  of  working  the 
ore,  after  it  is  smelted,  is  very  crude.  After  the  young 
men  smelt  it  the  old  men  work  it  up  into  articles  for 
sale,  the  young  women  wielding  the  sledge  hammers, 


72  THE   PEAEL  OF   ASIA. 

which  weigh  from  seven  to  ten  pounds,  according  to 
the  strength  of  the  striker,  while  the  old  women  and 
children  prepare  the  fuel  and  blow  the  bellows.  The 
forge  is  a  simple  apparatus,  two  bamboos  about  six 
inches  in  diameter,  set  upright  a  foot  in  the  ground;  a 
clay  pipe  leads  from  them  into  the  fire-place  and  a 
stick,  around  which  is  wrapped  a  rag,  is  worked  up  and 
down  the  bamboo  tubes,  forcing  the  air  through  the 
clay  pipe  to  a  place  just  under  the  fire.  Charcoal  is  the 
fuel  used,  and  it  frequently  has  to  be  brought  a  consid- 
erable distance.  When  going  to  work  the  blacksmith 
takes  a  piece  of  iron  out  of  the  fire  with  a  pair  of 
tongues  and  using  a  flat  stone  for  an  anvil  proceeds  to 
fashion  it  into  shape,  generally  having  three  strikers, 
who  continue  to  pound  away  till  he  bids  them  cease. 
Men  and  women  smoke  large  black  pipes  made  from 
the  root  of  a  tree,  using  the  strongest  tobacco.  The 
women  are  well  formed  and  robust,  wear  their  hair 
long,  and  when  at  work  are  encumbered  with  but  little 
clothing.  They  manufacture  swords,  elephant  chains, 
manacles,  mattocks,  axes,  scissors,  knives,  etc.,  which 
always  find  a  ready  sale  in  the  bazaars  ;  some  of  their 
work  evincing  considerable  skill,  especially  their  swords, 
which  are  frequently  encased  in  ivory  scabbards  elab- 
orately carved  and  mounted  with  silver. 


.  V. 

AYUTHIA,  THE  ANCIENT  CAPITAL, 

Gen.  Grant  and  other  eminent  travelers  have  visited 
Ayuthia,  the  old  capital  of  the  Kingdom  of  Siam,  once 
the  residence  of  a  long  line  of  kings  prior  to  the  pres- 
ent dynasty.  It  was  destroyed  by  Burmese  invaders 
in  1767,  since  which  it  has  been  a  place  of  but  little 
importance,  noted  solely  for  its  ruins,  which  are  massive 
and  wide-spread,  amply  worth  the  trouble  and  time  it 
takes  to  visit  them.  Scattered  over  the  plain  can  be 
seen  the  debris  of  over  fifty  temples  and  pagodas,  their 
white  walls,  like  sentinels,  standing  out  from  the  jungle, 
while  many  others  are  trellised  with  a  network  of 
vines,  whose  bell-like  blossoms  toss  back  and  forth  as 
the  monsoon  swings  the  parent  stem,  lending  beauty  to 
the  scene. 

Most  persons  now  take  a  steam  launch  and  go  up  the 
Menam,  a  distance  of  only  thirty -five  miles,  to  the  old 
city,  thus  saving  time.  The  most  pleasant  way  is  to 
take  a  couple  of  boats,  each  rowed  by  eight  men,  "con 
ruas,"  who  stand  on  the  deck  and  push  their  oars 
through  the  water;  the  oars  are  fastened  to  row  locks 
or  posts  with  a  whisp  of  dry  grass;  throwing  the  weight 
of  their  bodies  on  the  handles  of  the  chow  or  oar.  They 
make  good  headway  against  the  current,  which  at  times 
is  strong.  The  middle  of  the  boat  is  covered  with  a 
house  for  travelers  to  set  or  lounge  in,  as  the  spirit 
moves  one ;  when  night  comes  on  mosquito  nets  are 
hung  up,  mattresses  are  brought  out,  the  boat  moored 

73 


Y4  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

to  the  bank,  and  one  sleeps  as  calmly  as  if  in  Bangkok, 
no  fear  whatever.  Under  the  deck  of  the  boat  is 
stowed  provisions,  clothing,  rice  for  the  boys,  and 
other  necessaries;  just  back  of  the  house  the 
cook  makes  his  kitchen  and  he  gets  up  a  good 
meal  in  a  short  time,  using  canned  goods  or 
fowls ;  fruit  and  vegetables  can  be  obtained  en 
route.  The  trip  is  anything  but  monotonous  to  the 
seeker  after  strange  sights.  In  company  with  a  jolly 
party  early  one  morning  we  unmoored  our  boats,  gave 
an  order  to  the  con  ruas  to  go  ahead,  and  soon  with 
steady  strokes  we  went  speedily  up  stream,  on  by  the 
royal  palace  with  its  spires  gleaming  gloriously  in  the 
sun,  on  by  wats  embowered  in  greenest  of  foliage,  flit- 
ting by  miles  of  floating  houses,  passing  numerous  rafts 
of  teak  and  bamboo,  on  by  villages  of  common  look- 
ing houses  and  bamboo  shanties,  many  of  them  built 
on  piles  out  over  the  river,  dodging  the  many  rice  and 
provision  boats  descending  the  stream,  and  the  small 
canoes  rowed  principally  by  women,  the  only  class  of 
Siamese  that  wear  hats,  which  are  made  of  bamboo 
and  are  about  the  size  of  a  half  bushel  measure,  fast- 
ened on  their  heads  by  strips  of  the  same  material, 
peddling  all  kinds  of  marketable  stuff,  who  sing  out 
the  names  of  the  articles  they  sell :  fruit,  cakes,  bread, 
rice,  samshoo  (a  villainous  article  of  rice  whisky),  flow- 
ers, dry  goods,  water  jars,  lime  and  betel  nuts,  lamps, 
china  ware,  tin  and  iron  ware,  stacks  of  sugar  cane  cut 
in  two-foot  lengths,  and  you  can  hear  the  girls  at  all 
•hours  singing  out  "  Oi  Chen,"  sugar  cane,  as  they  pad- 
dle their  canoes  alongside,  as  do  the  venders  of  fruit 
and  sweets.  Frequently  the  boatmen  chaff  the  girls 
and  then  a  volley  of  the  most  horrible  oaths  follow,  as 


THE  PEARL   OF   ASIA.  75 

rough  language  and  indecent  epithets  come  from  these 
dwellers  on  the  water  as  easily  as  breathing.  At  noon 
we  land  at  a  monastery,  take  possession  of  a  sala,  and 
soon  the  servants  have  a  meal  prepared,  which  is  eaten 
with  a  keen  relish  under  the  observation  of  a  score  or 
so  of  half-clad  natives,  who  look  on  and  wonder  how 
the  white  strangers  can  eat  so  many  different  things  and 
much  thereof,  his  fare  being  but  a  small  measure  of 
rice  and  condiments,  with  some  fruit  or  a  fish  taken 
from  the  stream.  At  the  close  of  the  repast  it  is 
amusing  to  see  the  little  fellows  scramble  for  the  empty 
cans  and  bottles  that  the  servants  throw  away.  Then 
we  again  take  to  our  boats,  soothed  by  the  ripple  of  the 
waters  as  they  flash  by  the  prow. 

Salas  or  rest  houses  are  built  as  a  means  of  merit 
making  and  are  very  numerous;  they  are  simple  struc- 
tures consisting  of  a  plank  or  tile  floor,  a  tile  roof 
supported  by  wooden  columns,  no  walls,  as  the  weather 
is  always  warm,  but  most  of  them  have  seats  or  benches 
around  the  sides  for  persons  to  lay  on ;  the  Siamese, 
when  tired,  squats  on  the  ground  and  sits  on  his  heels. 
Some,  built  of  brick,  are  handsome  and  artistic,  the 
roof  handsomely  decorated  in  true  Siamese  style  with 
elaborate  gilding  and  colored  tiles.  As  night  falls  a 
cool  breeze  fans  through  the  windows  of  the  cabin,  the 
soft  susurrus  of  the  water  sounds  like  a  lullaby,  and 
from  out  the  dark  foliage  on  the  banks  come  flashes  of 
luminous  light,  whole  trees  ablaze,  lighted  up  by  fire- 
flies, millions  glowing  at  once;  then  all  is  dark  till  the 
flash  comes  again,  making  it  seem  the  creation  of 
fancy,  lovely  as  a  gleam  from  fairyland.  For  hours, 
in  the  gloom,  I  have  watched  the  flashing  of  these 
luminous  insects,  trees  fifty  feet  in  height  outlined 


Y6  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

with  them,  while  all  around  was  dense  darkness,  a  truly 
tropical  scene  that  I  do  not  think  can  be  seen  else- 
where than  in  the  realms  of  Chulalangkorn  I. 

At  daybreak,  having  moored  our  boats  near  a  monas- 
tery, we  were  awakened  by  the  beating  of  a  huge  drum 
and  the  ringing  of  a  large  bell,  rousing  the  monks 
from  slumber  so  that  they  could  start  out  in  their  boats 
to  secure  their  rice  for  the  day's  food.  Entering 
their  boat  they  paddle  up  'to  a  house,  hand  out 
their  rice  pot  into  which  a  ladle  full  of  cooked 
rice  and  condiments  is  placed,  together  with  some 
fruit;  the  donor,  generally  a  woman,  vyeing,  i.  e., 
raising  her  joined  hands  to  her  forehead,  as  a  mark  of 
respect  and  gratitude  to  the  priesthood — the  "  Khun," 
or  benefactor,  as  he  is  designated,  who  thus  gives  her 
an  opportunity  to  make  merit — while  the  yellow-robed 
solicitor  of  alms  looks  on  stolidly,  taking  it  as  a  matter 
of  right  instead  of  accepting  it  as  a  favor.  The  priest- 
hood in  Siam  is  very  peculiar.  In  Buddha's  time  it  was 
the  custom  of  the  priests  to  reward  the  donors  by 
preaching  the  law  or  reading  extracts  from  the  Pali 
version;  now  none  but  the  higher  order  of  the  clergy, 
who  reside  in  the  leading  monasteries,  know  the  law, 
in  fact,  the  majority  scarcely  knows  a  word  of  Pali,  the 
written  language  of  their  church.  But  few  have  any 
idea  of  leading  a  monastic  life,  most  of  them  remaining 
only  a  few  months  in  a  monastery,  in  compliance  with 
their  idea  that  during  a  portion  of  their  life  they  should 
enter  the  priesthood.  After  receiving  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  food  they  return  to  the  wat  and  satisfy  the 
cravings  of  nature.  In  accordance  with  their  law  they 
eat  but  once  a  day,  in  the  morning,  after  which  they 
must  be  satisfied  with  tea  and  cigars  until  it  is  time  for 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  77 

them  to  again  go  forth  soliciting.  The  church  of  Siam 
is  thus  self-sustaining ;  it  costs  the  government  nothing, 
and  a  priest,  is  prohibited  from  accepting  money,  no 
salary  being  attached  to  his  office ;  all  are  on  a  common 
level,  prince  and  peasant,  all  go  bareheaded  and  bare- 
foot, from  the  King's  brother  down. 

If  it  was  not  for  the  various  villages,  wats  and  boats 
that  one  passes  the  trip  might  prove  tedious,  as  the 
scenery  along  the  banks-  is  not  very  attractive,  palms, 
bamboo,  tamarinds,  banyan  and  other  trees  fringing  the 
water;  but  at  every  bend  you  can  see  nestled  amid 
the  green  verdure  a  white  temple  with  decorated  roof 
and  golden  spire,  or  through  a  rent  in  the  trees  a  vast 
stretch  of  paddy  fields  on  which  herds  of  water  buffalo 
are  pasturing,  they  being  the  Siamese  beasts  of  burden  ; 
in  the  distant  background  can  be  seen  some  lofty  hills 
that  look  blue  in  the  ambient  air,  etherial  as  a  cloud  on 
the  horizon.  About  noon  our  servants  shout  "  Kroong 
Kao,"  and  the  ruins  of  the  old  city  rise  into  view;  with 
a  spurt  the  boys  rush  the  boats  through  the  water  and 
we  are  soon  landed  at  the  sala  in  front  of  the  Gov- 
ernor's palace,  a  dilapidated  building,  and  were  made 
welcome  by  one  of  his  retainers,  the  Governor  being 
absent,  who  led  us  through  the  palace  grounds,  showed 
us  the  audience  room  used  by  His  Majesty  when  he 
visits  the  ancient  city,  a  dingy  place,  the  throne  cov- 
ered with  dust,  thence  to  a  watch-tower  in  the  garden, 
about  one  hundred  feet  high,  from  the  top  of  which  we 
obtained  a  grand  view  of  the  old  city  and  its  surround- 
ings, a  vast  mass  of  ruins,  no  effort  having  been  made 
for  over  a  century  to  stop  the  ravages  of  time  or  restore 
the  desecrated  temples,  a  wreck  of  buildings  in  "ruin- 
ous perfection;"  walls,  columns,  images,  spires  and  pal- 


78  THE   PEAKL    OF   ASIA. 

aces  covered  with  vines  and  tropical  foliage,  the  home 
of  venomous  serpents,  lizards,  chamelions  and  small 
jungle  animals.  The  groves  were  full  of  birds,  some  of 
rare  plumage,  and  the  chatter  of  paroquets  was  inces- 
sant, while  ever  and  anon,  by  close  watching,  you  could 
see  a  monkey  glide  from  tree  to  tree,  keeping  his  eye 
on  the  stranger  who  was  trespassing  on  his  domain. 
At  one  time  tigers  roamed  through  the  ruins,  but  they 
have  been  scared  off  since  the  natives  commenced 
using  rifles,  though  at  times  large  tiger-cats  have  been 
seen  prowling  through  the  jungle. 

Since  its  destruction  and  abandonment  by  the  pres- 
ent rulers,  Ayuthia,  "the  unassailable,"  as  it  was 
termed,  has  never  recovered  its  former  prestige,  but  it 
is  still  quite  a  good-sized  place,  the  modern  city  built 
mainly  on  the  river  and  canals,  several  of  which  center 
there.  It  is  a  good  business  point  for  boats  ascending 
and  descending  the  river  and  canals,  the  traffic  being 
mainly  in  the  hands  of  Chinese.  The  attractions  for 
strangers,  outside  the  many  ruins,  are  two  temples,  one 
a  ruin,  and  the  stockades  where  wild  elephants  are 
captured  for  the  King,  and  at  times  His  Majesty  gives 
a  grand  elephant  hunt  to  which  distinguished  strangers 
and  the  diplomatic  corps  are  invited.  He  gave  one 
last  year  in  honor  of  the  visit  of  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis, 
of  Russia,  who  was  visiting  Siam  on  his  tour  around 
the  globe.  The  first  object  to  attract  the  attention  is 
the  "Gold  Mountain,"  the  highest  and  best  preserved  of 
all  the  ruins,  a  typical  pagoda,  which  differs  somewhat 
from  most  of  the  Siamese  towers  in  having  three 
accessible  terraces,  the  highest  of  which  tops  the  tallest 
trees  that  surround  it ;  from  it  a  splendid  view  can  be 
had  of  the  whole  country,  taking  in  the  rivers  and  net- 


THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA.  79 

work  of  canals  whose  waters  sparkle  in  the  sunshine 
like  molten  silver.  We  were  told  that  the  ruins  of 
over  fifty  temples  and  pagodas  could  be  counted  from 
its  summit,  thus  carrying  out  the  statement  that  at  one 
time,  ere  the  Burmese  came  down  like  a  wolf  on  the 
fold,  over  two  hundred  of  these  stately  buildings 
reflected  back  the  glory  of  the  godhead  from  their 
gilded  tapering  prachedis.  This  temple  is  built  of 
brick  and  is  one  of  the  earliest  specimens  of  Buddhist 
architecture.  As  I  could  not  obtain  a  photo  of  it  I  will 
give  a  brief  description  of  this  still  beautiful  building.  It 
is  built  in  the  form  called  "  PhraChedi,"  which  repre- 
sents the  primitive  tope  or  relic  mound ;  based  upon  an 
extensive  square  it  rises  a  pyramidal  tower  in  three  parts, 
to  represent  the  Buddhist  trinity,  the  world,  the  Dewa 
heaven,  and  the  Paradise  of  the  formed  Brahmis,  the 
three  tiers  being  separated  by  wide  terraces  ;  cornices 
of  many  forms,  round  and  angular,  encircle  it  in  close 
succession,  while  flutings  and  re-entering  angles  reduce 
the  squareness  of  the  four  corners.  Two  flights  of 
steps  lead  to  the  terraces.  From  the  highest  terrace^ 
sixty  feet  from  the  ground,  rises  a  tower  thirty  feet 
in  height,  of  pyramidal  form,  same  as  the  lower  part, 
in  which  are  two  niches  containing  gilt  statues  of  the 
great  teacher  seven  feet  in  height ;  above  these  niches 
the  still  tapering  tower  is  without  cornices  and  per- 
fectly smooth  for  about  fifteen  feet,  then  changing 
from  a  square  pyramid  to  a  cone  it  rises  to  about  forty 
feet  to  a  point,  the  upper  part  ornamented  with  nar- 
row headings  or  rings,  lying  close  one  over  the  other. 
The  tower  is  solid  brick,  except  a  small  chamber,  which 
at  one  time  must  have  held  relics  or  a  statue  of 
Buddha ;  it  is  now  empty  and  the  abode  of  bats. 


80  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

Access  to  it  is  from  the  highest  terrace.  This  is  the 
only  prachedi  or  large  pagoda  that, has  an  accessible 
chamber,  though  they  are  frequently  found  in  the 
smaller  ones.  Several  small  temples  can  be  seen  in  the 
new  town  ornamented  with  a  mosaic  of  bits  of  crock- 
ery set  in  cement  representing  flowers,  animals,  nonde- 
scripts and  fanciful  designs,  interlarded  with  gay 
saucers  and  plates,  bright  china  birds  on  the  cornices, 
colored  and  glazed  tiles  for  the  roof,  at  each  end  of 
which  can  be  seen  the  ox  horn  ornaments  peculiar  to 
Siamese  architecture,  presenting  a  gorgeous  appear- 
ance at  a  distance,  but,  like  most  modern  buildings 
thereabouts,  the  form  and  color  being  good,  but  the 
material  is  both  common  and  perishable,  hence  it  does 
not  bear  close  inspection. 

Turning  from  this  monument  of  a  past  age  we  were 
taken  to  Wat  Cheun,  built  by  a  Princess  of  that  name. 
It  is  a  conglomerate  of  buildings  and  seems  to  be  con- 
trolled by  Chinese  monks.  You  enter  by  a  door  that 
opens  into  a  Chinese  joss  house  decorated  with  a  fan- 
tastic roof ;  inside  is  the  altar  covered  with  tawdry 
articles  and  illuminated  with  lamps  and  candles  that 
fill  the  room  with  smoke ;  everything  is  covered  with 
it,  a  greasy-looking  priest  being  in  attendance.  Passing 
hurriedly  through  we  found  a  large  monastery  with  a 
"  wihan  "  or  idol  house  and  u  bort,"  or  holy  building 
where  the  monks  assemble  for  consecrations  and  other 
religious  ceremonies  are  held;  close  by  were  a  number 
of  small  white  pagodas,  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  high, 
built  for  merit,  as  they  are  neither  ornamental  nor  useful, 
all  built  alike,  a  waste  of  brick  and  mortar.  These 
small  pagodas  can  be  found  everywhere  over  the  king- 
dom. In  close  vicinity  to  the  "  wihan"  are  the  resi- 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  81 

dences  of  the  priests  and  the  cremation  grounds ;  the 
embers  of  a  "burning,"  as  the  Siamese  term  a  crema- 
tion, were  still  glowing  as  we  passed  to  enter  the  idol 
house  or  hall,  which  is  an  uncouth-looking  structure  of 
Chinese  architecture ;  but  the  interior  is  very  effective, 
the  room  being  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
square  and  about  seventy  feet  in  height ;  the  walls  are 
pierced  with  a  fretwork  of  niches,  in  each  of  which 
is  a  gilt  idol  about  six  inches  in  length,  myriads  of 
them.  On  all  sides  are  hundreds  of  pedestals  on  which 
are  placed  statues  of  Buddha  and  his  disciples  in  various 
attitudes,  most  of  them  life-size.  In  the  center  of 
the  vast  hall,  between  six  huge  pillars,  plastered 
over  with  gilding,  whose  capitals  can  only  be  outlined 
in  the  gloom,  on  a  throne  is  seated  a  collossal  image *of 
Buddha,  heavily  gilded,  in  the  position  of  contempla- 
tion, such  as  the  Buddhists  delight  to  portray  him,  legs 
crossed,  the  right  hand  clasping  the  right  knee,  the  left 
lying  palm  upward  across  the  thighs,  while  the  massive 
face,  as  seen  in  the  dim  light,  appears  as  if  he  was 
steeped  in  meditation,  placid  and  mild,  as  are  all  of  the 
statues  of  this  great  man,  and  the  effect  is  grand  upon 
a  stranger  as  well  as  on  his  followers.  On  the  right 
and  left  of  the  Buddha  are  two  standing  figures, 

O  O 

about  twenty  feet  high,  representing  Sariputra  and 
Maggalona,  the  disciples  of  the  left  hand  and  the 
right  hand.  The  priests  in  attendance  could  not 
tell  us  the  exact  size  of  the  Buddha,  but  we  were 
assured  that  it  was  the  largest  sitting  idol  in 
Siam.  To  judge  of  its  dimensions  one  of  the  attend- 
ants climbed  up  and  stood  in  the  palm  of  its  hand,  and 
he  did  not  look  as  large  as  one  of  its  fingers.  I  saw 
seven  persons  stand  on  the  thumb  of  the  reclining  Bud- 


82  THE    PEAEL    OF    ASIA. 

dha  in  the  grotto  at  Petchaburee.  This,  like  most  of  the 
large  idols,  is  made  of  brick  and  cement,  covered  with 
lacquer  and  then  gilt.  All  have  the  same  look  of  supreme 
meditation  and  placid  repose,  as  if  all  worldly  thoughts 
had  been  banished  from  his  mind. 

Leaving  the  gloom  of  this  abode  of  idols,  one  could 
almost  realize,  as  he  looked  around  him,  ruin  piled  on 
ruin,  that  he  stood  in  the  Sparta  of  Siam ;  here  are  the 
vast  relics  of  its  former  greatness,  when  its  mailed 
warriors  battled  for  this  Pearl  of  Asia  in  all  of  its  trop- 
ical grandeur.  The  history  of  Ayuthia  reads  like  a 
romance ;  the  crumbling  walls  and  prostrate  idols  tell 
us  the  story  with  mute  tongues  as  convincing  as  if  out- 
lined by  a  painter's  pencil  or  recorded  by  historian's 
pen.  In  the  shadow  of  its  ruined  fanes,  with 
the  silence  of  desolation  around  you,  one  can  not 
help  reflecting  that  he  stands  on  a  spot  that 
was  once  the  scene  of  one  of  the  most  sanguinary 
struggles  in  the  East,  almost  the  entire  overthrow  of  a 
gallant  people.  Here  the  fairest  of  Asian  flowers  were 
crimsoned  with  the  life-drops  of  brave  men,  and  here  a 
great  city  was  literally  wiped  out,  its  people  captured, 
a  Kingdom  prostrate  at  the  feet  of  its  captors.  This 
occurred  over  a  hundred  years  since;  its  ruins  attest  its 
greatness,  and  it  is  well  that  nature,  kinder  far  than 
man,  has  hid  the  rents  of  ruin  with  a  tapestry  of  flow- 
ers and  clinging  vines,  making  that  more  beautiful 
which  was  so,  hiding  the  work  of  the  iconoclast.  With 
an  eye  to  the  situation,  the  early  founder  of  this  now 
desolated  place  saw  that  here  in  the  clasp  of  a  majestic 
river,  and  the  center  of  an  emerald  plain,  with  moun- 
tains in  the  distance,  a  city  could  be  built  worthy  to  be 
the  capital  of  this  sun-kissed  land.  His  name  has  per- 


THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA.  83 

ished  amid  the  cycles  of  time  that  crumbled  his  capital 
to  dust.     At  his  command  a  city  sprung  into  existence, 
for  years  it  was  the  center  of  a  vast  civilization.    It 
grew,  flourished,  was  captured  and  recaptured,  destroyed 
and  rebuilt,  its  people  made  slaves  and  its  holy  places  a 
desolation.     Years  filtered  through  the  hour-glass  of 
time,  centuries  left  their  impress  on  field  and  river,  the 
city  that  had  been  battled  for  so  long  was  then  known 
as  Loweck,  the  "  city  of  plenty,"  but  in  1350,  then  a 
mere  mass  of  ruins,  it  was  selected  by  one  of  the 
Siamese    kings,   who  was    pleased   with    its  site,  to 
rebuild  it  as  his  capital,  and  styled  Ayuthia.     Again 
it   was   restored  to  its  past  greatness;  once  more  it 
became  a  royal  city,  and  so  continued  till  the  Burmese 
invasion.     Being  almost  surrounded  by  the  Menam,  it 
was  still  strengthened  with  massive  walls  and  on  the 
debris  of  ages,  on  the  foundations  of  temples  that  had 
been  reared  for  the  worship  of  now  forgotten  gods  ma- 
jestic wats  and  palaces  were  built  and  along  its  highways 
and  on  its  canals  moved  a  half  million  people,  its  water- 
ways being  covered  with  boats  bearing  to  it  the  wealth 
of  gulf  and  land.      For  over  four  hundred  years  it  bid 
defiance  to  foes,  grew  in  grandeur  and  known  as  the 
"  golden  city "  became  an  object  of  envy  to  the  sur- 
rounding nations.     At  that  time  Burmah  was  at  the 
zenith  of  its  power,  ruled  by  a  grasping  monarch  who 
resolved  to  crush  his  neighbor  and  put  a  stop  to  the 
wars  that  had  been  waged  between  them  for  centuries. 
Collecting    an    immense    army    his    generals     swept 
onward,  a  resistless  horde,  marking  their  path   with 
desolation.     Reaching  the  environs  of  the  doomed  city, 
which  refused  to  surrender,  hurling  back  a  haughty 
defiance  to  the  invaders,  a  siege  was  commenced  and 


84  THE  PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

for  two  years  every  assault  was  repulsed;  but  in  March, 
176T,  the  river  being  low,  the  Burmese  forded  the 
Menam,  battered  down  the  walls  and  entered  the  city 
sword  in  hand,  a  tidal  wave  of  ruthless  murderers.  The 
provisions  of  the  defenders  were  exhausted,  they  had 
suffered  untold  horrors ;  decimated  by  disease  and  star- 
vation, they  yielded  without  further  struggle.  Then 
followed  a  massacre,  the  place  was  given  up  to  the 
sword  and  pillage.  For  days  the  heavens  were  lurid 
with  the  flames  of  burning  palaces,  temples  and  habi- 
tations, the  air  filled  with  the  frenzied  shrieks  of  its 
devoted  people  in  the  agonies  of  death.  The  Burmese 
had  carried  out  his  stern  resolve,  Ayuthia  was  no  more. 
Desolation  followed,  silence  replaced  the  hum  of 
the  busy  multitude,  its  people  made  captives,  but 
the  heroism  of  its  defenders  lives  in  history,  its  site 
is  considered  hallowed  ground,  its  ruined  fanes  held  in 
reverence,  and  a  mammoth  statue  of  Buddha,  slowly 
crumbling  to  dust,  has  its  hosts  of  worshipers. 

In  the  contemplation  of  the  ruins  of  this  once  great 
capital  one  can  realize  how  the  plowshare  of  time  over- 
turns vast  metropolises,  how  here  on  the  confines  of 
Asia  a  tragedy  as  gigantic  as  those  that  befell  Car- 
thage, Perseopolis  and  Thebes  has  been  enacted. 

Amid  Ayuthia's  crumbled  grandeur  one  can  read 
of  the  civilization  and  wealth  of  a  people  who  had  a 
well- written  code  of  laws  and  followed  the  teachings 
of  Buddha  while  Britain  was  under  the  sway  of  the 
Druids  and  Greece  her  Olympian  gods  obeyed, 
when  the  prophets  of  Israel  preached  Jehovah  and 
gilded  Jerusalem  with  glory,  ere  the  gentle  Nazarine 
gave  us  our  code  and  the  Roman  legions  had  destroyed 
its  temple  and  leveled  its  battlements.  The  shades  of 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  85 

evening  falling  fast,  \ve  turned  to  our  boats,  leaving 
the  dead  behind  us,  to  mingle  once  more  among  the 
living;  we  had  had  enough  of  ruins,  as  one  of  the 
party  remarked,  the  whole  place  was  terribly  out  of 
repair. 


VI. 

DINING  WITH  THE  KING. 

"While  lying  in  a  chair  on  the  veranda  of  the  Lega- 
tion building,  indolently  watching  the  ever-changing 
panorama  on  the  swiftly -flowing  Menam  covered  with 
boats,  from  the  tiny  canoe  of  the  ruachong,  ferry  boat- 
man, to  the  majestic  ocean  steamer,  and  contrasting 
the  difference  between  the  land  of  the  prairie  and 
the  land  of  the  palm,  I  was  aroused  by  the 
approach  of  my  kavass,  a  native  who  speaks  English 
and  is  an  attache  of  the  Legation,  who,  after  the  usual 
salam,  said:  "  Your  Excellency,  a  messenger  from  His 
Majesty  awaits  an  audience."  "  Admit  him,"  and  in  a 
moment  an  attache  of  the  Court  appeared  and  bowing 
low  presented  me  with  a  missive  about  twelve  inches 
in  length  by  eight  in  width,  with  the  remark  "  from 
His  Majesty;"  he  then  again  bowed  to  the  ground  and 
retired  backward.  Opening  the  envelope  I  found  a 
handsomely  embossed  card  upon  which  was  printed  the 
request  that  I  wrould  dine  with  His  Majesty  at  the 
supreme  palace  on  the  following  day  at  7:30  p.  M.  I 
immediately  sent  a  reply  that  it  would  give  me  great 
pleasure  to  do  so. 

At  the  hour  mentioned  I  drove  into  the  outer  palace 
grounds  and  was  received  by  a  high  Siamese  official 
who,  expressing  himself  in  good  English,  informed  me 
that  he  had  been  awaiting  my  arrival  and  was  highly 
gratified  to  receive  me.  Under  his  charge  I  proceeded 
to  the  palace  where  Prince  Devawongse  and  others  in 

90 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  87 

attendance  on  the  King  received  me  in  true  oriental 
style.  After  partaking  of  the  usual  cup  of  tea  and 
refusing  a  cigar — the  Siamese  are  inveterate  smokers — I 
awaited  the  arrival  of  the  other  guests,  the  Duke  De- 
Lucca,  Italian  Minister  to  Siam  and  China ;  the  English 
Minister,  Mr.  Satow;  the  French  Charge  d'  Affairs, 
Count  DeKercaradeck,  Commodore  DeRichelieu  and 
Dr.  Gowan,  physician  to  His  Majesty.  Most  of  the 
guests  were  resplendent  in  gorgeous  uniforms  and  wore 
orders,  while  the  representative  of  the  great  republic 
wore  a  plain  evening  dress.  The  guests  having 
arrived,  a  blare  of  bugles  was  heard  and  we 
were  ushered  into  the  banquet  hall,  one  of  the 
handsomest  rooms  that  it  has  ever  been  my  good 
fortune  to  enter,  the  walls  and  ceiling  a  mass  of  fretted 
gold,  the  elaborate  frescoing  a  work  of  art,  the  floor 
covered  with  a  Persian  carpet.  Magnificent  chandeliers 
with  wax  candles  lighted  up  the  place  and  it  looked  as  if 
some  genii  had  fashioned  this  superb  room  in  a  moment 
of  inspiration.  Running  the  full  length  of  the  room  was 
a  table  covered  with  the  whitest  of  damask,  down  the 
center  of  which  ran  a  glass  canal,  made  in  sections 
about  six  inches  wide  and  four  deep,  filled  with  per- 
fumed water  and  flowers  of  the  rarest  kind.  It  was 
made  so  that  it  enclosed  a  number  of  solid  silver  stands, 
about  two  and  a  half  feet  in  height,  which  held  flowers 
and  fruit ;  the  stands  represented  palm  trees  and  at 
their  base  were  elephants,  deer  and  gazelles  enshrined 
in  foliage,  each  stand  a  masterpiece  of  Asiatic  art. 
The  table  furniture  had  on  it  the  monogram  of  the  King; 
the  goblets  were  of  the  finest  Bohemian  ware,  with 
gilt  rims ;  the  plates  and  dishes  of  the  finest  porcelain 
and  the  chairs,  covered  with  leather,  also  bore  the 


88  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

royal  monogram  carved  on  the  top,  all  of  which  were 
made  to  order  in  Europe.  Covers  were  laid  for  about 
forty,  most  of  the  guests  being  Siamese  Princes,  Gov- 
ernors and  high  officials.  In  the  place  of  a  punkah  the 
air  was  kept  in  motion  by  eight  pages,  dressed  as 
Scotch  Highlanders,  who  gracefully  waved  large  pea- 
cock fans  above  the  table,  which  added  no  little  to  the 
.comfort  of  the  guests.  The  waiters  were  dressed  in 
swallow-tail  coats.  At  a  signal,  the  King  seated  him- 
self at  the  center  of  the  table  on  the  right  side,  with  his 
foreign  guests  facing  him.  The  menu  was  quite  elab- 
orate, embracing  all  of  the  delicacies  of  the  season, 
prepared  by  a  French  cook,  which  were  served  cold 
with  the  exception  of  the  fish  and  soup,  as  everything 
had  to  be  tasted  before  being  brought  to  the  table  so 
that  there  could  be  no  opportunity  to  tamper  with  the 
food  to  the  injury  of  His  Majesty  or  any  of  his  guests. 
Wine  of  all  kinds  was  served,  and  after  remaining  at 
the  table  a  couple  of  hours,  closing  with  ices  and 
liqueurs,  the  King  rose  and  we  were  invited 
to  accompany  him  to  his  private  reception  room 
where  coffee  was  served  and  general  conversation 
indulged  in,  His  Majesty  listening  with  considerable 
interest  and  frequently  asking  questions  that  kept  the 
conversation  from  flagging.  Though  the  King  does 
not  speak  English,  he  understands  it  perfectly,  and 
could  do  so  fluently  if  he  so  desired,  but  prefers  to 
express  himself  in  his  own  tongue,  which  is  then  inter- 
preted by  one  of  the  Princes  or  the  court  interpreter. 
Upon  entering  the  reception  room  each  one  was  pre- 
sented with  a  sash  of  white  flowers,  woven  in  the  shape 
of  a  rope,  Indian  mogaries,  the  tassel  or  pendant  made 
of  a  salmon-colored  flower,  very  fragrant.  These 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA.  89 

sashes  are  worn  over  the  shoulder  and  hang  down  on 
the  left  side  and  are  as  fragrant  as  they  are  beauti- 
ful. 

While  admiring  the  sashes  Mis  Majesty  presented  the 
Duke  DeLucca  with  a  magnificent  crimson  rose  about 
eight  inches  in  diameter,  a  marvelous  flower,  which 
astonished  everyone  at  its  mammoth  proportions ;  it  was 
the  imperial  rose  of  roses.  Upon  close  examination  it 
was  discovered  to  be  a  manufactured  article,  each  leaf 
was  carefully  sewed  to  a  center  and  so  deftly  was  it 
done  that  it  required  the  closest  scrutiny  to  discover 
that  it  was  not  one  of  nature's  choicest  productions. 
The  natives  are  very  skillful  in  the  fashioning  of  flowers 
into  hanging  baskets,  chandeliers,  wreaths,  ornaments 
and  bouquets  ;  they  revel  in  their  beauty  and  seem  to 
become  intoxicated  with  their  perfume.  Flowers  are 
used  upon  every  occasion,  and  they  can  be  found  orna- 
menting the  lowliest  hut  as  well  as  shedding  their 
fragrance  in  the  palaces  of  the  nobles ;  the  women 
wreathe  them  into  coronets  to  decorate  their 
children,  and  they  are  sold  in  the  bazaars  for  that  pur- 
pose, a  large  bunch  of  tuberoses  being  sold  for  a 
couple  of  pennies.  I  was  particularly  impressed  with 
the  skill  shown  by  these  people  in  the  manufacture  of 
flowers  and  blossoms,  many  artificial  ones  are  as  hand- 
some as  the  dew-kissed  buds  that  hang  upon  the  parent 
stem. 

Conversing  with  his  guests  for  about  an  hour  the 
king  rose,  shook  hands  and  we  retired  much  pleased 
with  our  reception,  realizing  the  fact  that  we  had 
been  the  partaker  of  a  royal  feast,  having  dined 
with  royalty,  and  most  agreeably  entertained,  an  even- 
ing that  would  long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  most 


90  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

pleasant  that  I  had  spent  in  the  Siamese  capital.  Our 
carriages  were  in  waiting  and  we  were  soon  driven 
homeward,  the  guards  at  the  gates  saluting  us  as  we 
passed.  It  is  only  on  special  occasions  that  His  Majesty 
invites  foreigners  to  dine  with  him.  At  the  table  he 
partook  of  the  various  dishes  as  they  were  passed,  enjoy- 
ing the  feast ;  partook  sparingly  of  the  wine,  as  did  all 
of  the  nobles.  The  Siamese  are  an  abstemious  peo- 
ple, the  priests  inculcating  sobriety,  the  Queen  particu- 
larly so.  When  her  brother,  Prince  Swatsi,  returned 
from  England,  having  graduated  at  Cambridge,  she 
presented  him  with  a  palace ;  to  commemorate  the 
event  he  gave  a  house  warming,  and  a  number  of  lead- 
ing citizens  were  invited  to  be  present.  After  dancing 
the  guests  were  asked  to  partake  of  a  banquet  pre- 
pared in  the  most  lavish  manner,  and,  as  usual,  the  soft- 
spoken  servant  asked,  "  What  will  you  drink  ? " 
*'  Champagne  and  soda,"  he  replied,  in  mournful  tones, 
"  Your  Excellency,  there  is  nothing  but  Buddhist 
water :  lemonade,  ginger  ale  and  soda."  Her  Majesty 
had  issued  her  commands  that  nothing  stronger 
than  tea  and  coffee  should  be  served  upon  the  occasion, 
and  her  word  was  law.  Most  of  the  younger  nobles 
are  cultured  gentlemen  who  understand  the  amenities 
of  private  life  and  polite  society,  but  it  goes  hard  with 
some  of  the  older  ones  to  handle  a  knife  and  fork 
properly,  they  having  been  accustomed  to  eat  with  their 
fingers,  as  is  the  usual  mode  in  Siam.  Children  of  for- 
eign parents  reared  among  the  natives  assured  me  that 
rice  eaten  in  Siamese  style  tasted  much  better  than  in 
any  other  way.  Custom  is  imperial  the  world  over. 


VII. 

WOISTDEKFUL    EUINS    OF    ANGKOR    AND 
NAGKOJST  WAT. 

But  seldom  has  a  white  traveler  visited  the  marvel- 
ous and  stupendous  ruins  of  Angkor  and  Nagkon  Wat, 
in  the  sylvan  solitudes  of  Siam,  but  those  who  have 
been  so  fortunate  speak  with  awe  of  its  immensity  and 
beauty,  remarking  that  these  relics  of  a  past  age  "  are 
as  imposing  as  the  ruins  of  Thebes  or  Memphis  and 
more  mysterious."  While  making  a  tour  of  the  East, 
Frank  Vincent,  Jr.,  in  company  with  Kev.  S.  I.  McFar- 
land,  made  a  visit  to  Angkor,  the  first  Americans  that 
had  penetrated  the  vast  wilds  of  that  section,  and  in 
his  "  Land  of  the  White  Elephant "  gives  an  elaborate 
description  of  Nagkon  Wat,  which  has  also  been 
described  by  M.  Mouhut,  whose  work  he  drew  liberally 
upon  for  information,  in  which  he  describes  this  temple 
as  "  one  of  those  temples — a  rival  to  that  of  Solomon, 
erected  by  some  ancient  Michael  Angelo — that  might 
take  an  honorable  place  beside  our  most  beautiful 
buildings.  It  is  grander  than  anything  left  us  by 
Greece  or  Kome."  These  ruins  are  situated  in  the 
province  of  Siamrap,  eastern  Siam,  and  are  described  by 
M.  Mouhut  as  of  colossal  size.  The  entrance  to  Nagkon 
Wat,  the  main  temple,  is  described  as  a  massive  cause- 
way 725  feet  in  length,  paved  with  hewn  stones  four 
feet  in  length  by  two  in  breadth,  flanked  with  six  huge 
griffins,  each  carved  from  a  single  block  of  stone, 
leading  directly  to  the  main  entrance,  on  each  side  of 

91 


92  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

which  are  two  artificial  lakes  covering  about  five  acres 
of  ground,  the  whole  structure  embowered  in  the  midst 
of  a  forest  of  cocoa,  betel  nut  and  toddy  palms,  no 
other  buildings  in  sight  but  some  bamboo  huts  occupied 
by  a  few  cadaverous  priests  and  slaves  who  have  charge 
of  the  place. 

At  the  first  glance  one  is  struck  dumb  at  its  immen- 
sity, its  grandeur  and  sublimity — the  mind  grows  dizzy 
with  wonder  at  this  marvel  of  the  wilds,  at  the  bold 
conception  of  the  genius  which  planned  and  the  skill 
and  patience  and  labor  which  executed  such  a  master- 
piece of  architecture.  The  outer  wall  of  the  Wat, 
about  a  half  mile  square,  is  built  of  sandstone  with 
gateways  upon  each  side  handsomely  carved  and 
as  perfect  as  if  did  yesterday,  with  figures  of  gods  and 
dragons,  arabesques  and  intricate  scrolls.  Upon  the 
western  side  of  the  main  gateway,  passing  through  this 
and  up  a  causeway,  paved  with  slabs  or  stone,  for  a 
thousand  feet,  you  arrive  at  the  central  entrance  of  the 
Wat.  Its  foundations  are  ten  feet  in  height,  massively 
built  of  volcanic  rock.  The  edifice  is  composed  of 
three  terraces;  the  .one  about  thirty  feet  above  the 
other,  including  the  roof,  is  of  a  hard  blue  stone,  but 
without  cement,  and  so  closely  fitting  are  the  joints  as 
to  be  scarcely  discernible.  The  quarries,  where  the 
stone  was  hewn,  is  thirty  miles  distant  from  the  build- 
ing, and  the  immense  boulders  in  the  wall  and  building 
could  have  been  transported  only  by  water,  possibly  a 
canal  having  been  dug  for  that  purpose.  The  shape  of 
the  building  is  oblong,  796  feet  in  length  and  588  feet 
in  width ;  the  central  pagoda  rises  250  feet  above  the 
ground,  and  four  others  at  the  angles  of  the  court  are 
each  about  150  feet  in  height.  The  main  entrance  is 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  93 

through  a  columned  portico,  the  facade  covered  with 
mythological  subjects.  From  this  doorway,  on  either 
side,  runs  a  corridor  with  double  rows  of  columns,  cut 
base  and  capital,  from  single  blocks,  with  a  double  oval- 
shaped  roof  covered  with  carving  and  consecutive  fig- 
ures on  the  outer  walls.  Mr.  Vincent  says  that  this 
gallery  of  sculptures,  which  forms  the  exterior  of  the 
temple,  consists  of  over  half  a  mile  of  continuous  pic- 
tures, cut  in  basso-relievo  upon  sandstone  slabs  six  feet 
in  width,  representing  subjects  taken  from  Hindo 
mythology — from  the  Ramayana — the  Sanscrit  epic 
poem  of  India,  with  its  27,000  verses  describing  the 
exploits  of  the  god  Rama  and  the  son  of  the  King  of 
Oudh.  The  contests  of  the  King  of  Ceylon  and  Hanu- 
man,  the  monkey  god,  are  graphically  represented. 
There  is  no  keystone  used  in  the  arch  of  this  corridor, 
and  its  ceiling  is  uncarved.  On  the  walls  are  sculptured 
the  immense  number  of  100,000  separate  figures  (or  at 
least  heads).  Entire  scenes  from  the  Ramayana  are 
pictured ;  one  occupies  240  feet  of  the  wall. 
Weeks  might  be  spent  in  studying,  identifying  and 
classifying  the  varied  subjects  of  this  wonderful  gal- 
lery. You  see  warriors  riding  upon  elephants  and  in 
chariots,  foot  soldiers  with  shield  and  spear,  boats, 
unshapely  divinities,  trees,  monkeys,  griffins,  hippo- 
potami, serpents,  fishes,  crocodiles,  bullocks,  tortoises, 
soldiers  of  immense  physical  development  with  hel- 
mets and  some  people  with  beards,  probably  Moors. 
The  figures  stand  somewhat  like  those  on  the  great 
Egyptian  monuments,  the  side  partly  turned  towards 
the  front ;  in  the  case  of  the  men  one  foot  and  leg  are 
always  placed  in  advance  of  the  other,  and  I  noticed, 
besides,  five  horsemen,  armed  with  spear  and  sword, 


94-  THE   PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

riding  abreast,  like  those  seen  upon  the  Assyrian  tab- 
lets in  the  British  Museum,  In  the  processions  sev- 
eral of  the  kings  are  preceded  by  musicians  playing 
upon  shells  and  long  bamboo  flutes.  Some  of  the 
kings  carry  a  battle-axe,  others  a  weapon  which  much 
resembles  a  gof-ulub,  and  others  are  represented  as 
using  the  bow  ana  arrow.  In  one  place  is  a  grotesque 
divinity  who  sits  elegantly  dressed  upon  a  throne  sur- 
mounted by  umbrellas ;  this  figure,  of  peculiar  sanctity, 
evidently  had  been  recently  gilded,  and  before  it  upon 
a  small  table  there  were  a  dozen  or  more  joss  sticks  kept 
constantly  burn/ng  by  the  faithful.  But  it  is  almost  use- 
less to  particularize  when  the  subjects  and  style  of  execu- 
tion are  so  diverse.  Each  side  of  the  long  corridor  seemed 
to  display  figures  of  distinct  features,  dress  and  char- 
acter. The  most  interesting  sculptures,  says  Dr.  Adolf 
Bastian,  who  explored  these  wonderful  ruins  in  1864, 
are  in  two  compartments,  called  by  the  natives  respec- 
tively the  procession  and  the  three  stages  (heaven, 
earth  and  hell).  What  gives  a  peculiar  interest  to  this 
section  is  the  fact  that  the  artist  has  represented  the 
different  nationalities  in  all  their  distinctive  character- 
istic features,  from  the  fat-nosed  savage  in  the 
tasseled  garb  of  the  Phon  and  short-haired  Lao 
to  the  straight-nosed  Rajaput,  with  sword  and  shield 
and  the  bearded  Moor,  which  gives  a  catalogue 
of  nationalities,  like  another  column  of  Trajan,  in  the 
predominant  physical  conformation  of  each  race.  On 
the  whole,  there  is  such  a  prevalence  of  Hellenic  cast 
in  the  features  and  profiles,  as  well  as  in  the  elegant 
attitude  of  the  horsemen,  that  one  might  suppose 
Xenocrates  of  old,  after  finishing  his  labors  in  Bombay, 
had  made  an  excursion  to  the  East.  These  are  figures 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA..  95 

sculptured  in  high  relief  ( nearly  life-size )  upon  the 
lower  parts  of  the  wall  about  the  entrance.  All  are 
females,  and  apparently  of  Hindoo  origin.  The  inter- 
ior of  the  quadrangle  bounded  by  the  long  corridor 
just  described  is  filled  with  galleries  and  halls,  formed 
with  huge  columns,  crossing  one  another  at  right 
angles.  In  the  Nagkon  Wat  as  many  as  1,532  solid 
columns  have  been  counted,  and  among  the  entire  ruins 
of  Ankor  there  are  reported  to  be  the  immense  number 
of  6,000,  almost  all  of  them  hewn  from  single  blocks 
and  artistically  carved.  On  the  inner  side  of  the  cor- 
ridor there  are  blank  windows,  each  of  which  contains 
seven  beautifully  turned  little  columns.  The  ceilings 
of  the  galleries  were  hung  with  tens  of  thousands  of 
bats  and  pigeons  and  other  birds  have  made  them- 
selves comfortable  nests  in  the  out-of-way  corners. 
We  pass  on  up  steep  staircases,  with  steps  no  more 
than  four  inches  in  width,  to  the  center  of 
the  galleries,  which  here  bisect  one  another.  There 
are  two  detached  buildings  in  this  square,  probably 
used  formerly  as  image-houses,  and  they  now  con- 
tain wooden  Buddhas,  though  of  recent  date.  In  one 
of  the  galleries,  we  saw  two  or  three  hundred  images, 
made  of  stone,  wood,  brass  and  clay,  of  all  shapes  and 
sizes  and  ages  ( some  of  the  large  stone  idols  are  said 
to  be  1,400  years  old ),  a  Buddha's  sacred  foot,  etc. 
Joss-sticks  were  burning  before  the  largest  images, 
which  were  besides  daubed  with  red  paint  and  partly 
gilded.  We  walk  on  across  another  causeway,  with 
small  image-houses  on  either  hand,  and  up  a  steep 
flight  of  steps,  fully  thirty  feet  in  height, 
the  other  galleries  crossing  each  other,  in  the 
center  above  which  rises  the  grand  central 


96  THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

pagoda — 250  feet  in  height — and  at  the  four  corners  of 
the  court  four  smaller  spires.  These  latter  are  much 
dilapidated  and  do  not  displa}'  their  full  height ;  the 
porticoes  also  bear  evidence  of  the  "heavy  hand  of 
time."  Upon  the  four  sides  of  the  base  of  the  highest 
spire  are  collossal  images  of  Buddha,  made  of  plaster 
and  other  smaller  divinities  in  various  positions.  These 
figures  of  Buddha  are  grandly  placed,  for,  when  the 
doors  of  the  enclosing  rooms  are  opened,  from  their 
high  position  they  overlook  the  surrounding  country ; 
and  the  priests  of  Nagkon  Wat  worship  here  at  the 
present  day.  There  is  one  more  gallery  and  then  we 
come  to  the  outer  corridor  and  pass  through  a  mag- 
nificent doorway  to  the  rear  of  the  temple  and  walk 
round  to  our  sala,  not  knowing  which  to  admire  the 
most,  the  vastness  of  the  plan  or  the  propriety  and 
grace  of  the  performance. 

Speculation  has  been  rife  as  to  who  built  Nagkon 
Wat  and  at  what  period  of  time  its  majestic  towers 
were  first  gilded  by  a  tropic  sun.  So  far  no  one  has 
reached  a  definite  conclusion.  Native  Cambodians 
date  back  the  time  2400  years,  others  1300  years  and 
state  that  it  was  built  by  a  number  of  Kings  and  com- 
pleted by  a  Buddhist.  It  is  all  a  matter  of  conjecture. 
Dr.  Bastian  says  that  this  temple  was  built  by  the 
Cambodians  for  the  reception  of  the  learned  patriarch 
Buddhaghosa,  who  brought  the  sacred  books  of  the 
Trai-Pidok  from  Langka  (Ceylon).  Bishop  Pallegoix, 
who  wrote  a  valuable  work  on  Siam,  dates  the  erection 
of  this  edifice  to  the  reign  of  Phra  Pathum  Suriving, 
at  the  time  the  holy  books  of  Buddha  were  brought 
from  Ceylon  and  Buddhism  became  the  religion  of  that 
section.  M.  Henri  Mahout,  who  gave  the  first  account 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  97 

of  these  now  celebrated  ruins,  was  'of  the  opinion  that 
they  were  built  by  some  of  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel. 
In  his  travels  through  Indo-China  he  made  many 
efforts  to  discover  Jewish  traces  in  Siam  or  Cambodia, 
but  met  with  nothing  to  confirm  his  belief  but  a 
record  of  the  Judgment  of  Solomon,  attributed  to 
one  of  their  Kings  who  had  become  a  god  after 
having  been,  according  to  their  ideas  of  metemp- 
sychosis, an  ape,  an  elephant,  etc.,  which  was  found 
preserved  in  one  of  the  Cambodian  sacred  books  verba- 
tim. Jt  was  M.  Mahout's  belief  that  the  older  parts  of 
Angkor  was  over  2,000  years  old  and  the  more  recent 
parts  not  much  later,  and  it  is  his  belief  that  the  people 
who  erected  it  have  passed  away,  be  they  who  they 
may.  There  is  no  trace  of  any  such  people  now  exist- 
ing among  the  surrounding  nations,  and  the  Abbe 
Jaquenet,  a  missionary  in  Cochin-China,  writes  that 
after  the  dispersion  of  the  ten  tribes,  instead  of  return- 
ing from  captivity,  they  set  out  from  the  banks 
of  the  Euphrates  and  reached  the  shores  of  the 
ocean,  and  this  may  be  the  result  of  their  labor,  and,  as 
he  says,  "  the  shining  of  the  light  of  revelations  in  the 
far  east  is  not  the  less  incontestible."  Native  histor- 
ians credit  the  foundation  of  Ankor  to  a  Prince  of 
Roma  or  E-uma ;  Roma  is  familiar  to  all  the  Cambodians, 
who  place  it  at  the  western  end  of  the  world.  That 
it  is  of  very  ancient  origin  is  indisputable ;  its  crumb- 
ling columns  and  towers,  deeply  worn  stone  stairs, 
absence  of  keystones  in  the  arches  and  the  undecipher- 
able inscriptions  all  denote  that  the  waves  of  centuries 
have  passed  over  its  moss-covered  and  fallen  roofs,  and 
it  would  require  the  lapse  of  ages  for  a  race  to  thus 
pass  away  and  leave  no  vestige  of  its  existence  behind 


98  THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

save  these  artistic  ruins,  positive  evidence  of  another 
people  and  another  civilization.  The  style  of  architec- 
ture is  peculiar  to  itself,  somewhat  resembling  the  tem- 
ples of  India  and  Java ;  there  is  but  little  to  denote  it  of 
Egyptian  origin,  as  that  is  massive  and  ponderous,  this 
is  light,  airy  and  graceful.  There  are  no  tablets  eulo- 
gizing the  founder  of  the  Wat  or  commemorating  its 
establishment;  no  inscriptions  concerning  its  building 
on  its  walls,  that  so  far  have  been  translated,  though 
there  are  some  that  are  undecipherable,  others  that  give 
a  description  of  offerings  at  different  times  with  allusions 
to  religious  ceremonies  and  mythological  objects; 
among  them  one  of  black  marble,  about  five  feet  square, 
let  into  the  wall  of  the  rear  corridor,  and  from  this  this 
information  has  been  gained.  The  inscriptions  which 
can  not  be  read  resemble  the  ancient  Cambodian  or  the 
Pali  character,  but  in  a  more  antiquated  form.  It  may 
be  possible  that  same  learned  savant  who  has  made  the 
lore  of  the  East  a  study  will  be  able  to  unfold  the  annals 
of  this  lost  people,  if  they  have  ever  been  written  or 
carved  on  tablet  or  monument.  Christoval  de  Jaque, 
a  Portugese  adventurer,  took  refuge  in  Cambodia  in 
1570  and  describes  these  ruins,  stating  that  at  that 
time  the  inscriptions  were  unintelligible  to  the  natives. 
To  the  labors  of  M.  Mauhut,  Dr.  Bastian  and  Mr. 
Thompson,  an  English  photographer,  are  we  mainly 
indebted  for  a  description  of  these  wonderful  ruins, 
unrivaled  as  forgotten  works  of  an  unknown  people. 

About  three  miles  from  Ankorare  the  ruins  of  the 
citadel  of  Taphrom,  and  near  it  a  wat  styled  Prakeoh, 
or  the  Gem  tower,  a  royal  and  priestly  residence. 
Four  miles  east  of  Nagkon  Wat  are  two  other  remains 
of  antiquity:  Bakong  and  Lailan.  At  the  latter 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  99 

are  several  images  of  Buddha,  built  of  bricks  which 
are  exceedingly  hard  and  made  in  a  manner 
not  now  understood  by  the  people  of  the 
country.  They  are  polished  and  laid  upon  each  other 
so  neatly  that  no  trace  of  mortar  can  be  discovered. 
The  whole  valley  of  the  Makong  river,  to  the  very  bor- 
ders of  China,  is  spread  with  majestic  ruins.  Near  the 
monastery  of  Prakeoh  is  an  artificial  lake  built  by  the 
kings  of  Paten taphrohm,  and  surrounded  with  the 
ruins  of  pleasure  houses  for  their  recreation.  It  is  a 
work  of  stupendous  labor,  and  Dr.  Bastian  asserts  that 
it  would  now  require  the  whole  population  of  Cam- 
bodia to  raise  such  a  gigantic  structure.  He  describes  the 
lake  Sasong  as  being  "of  oblong  shape,  about  2,000 feet 
broad  and  4,000  feet  long,  surrounded  by  a  high 
embankment  of  solid  masonry.  Some  of  the  blocks 
are  fourteen  and  sixteen  feet  long  and  highly  finished. 
In  convenient  places  square  platforms  were  built 
overhanging  the  water,  with  broad  flights  of 
steps  leading  down  to  it,  and  in  such  places 
the  huge  masses  of  stone  laid  on  each 
other  are  embellished  by  delicate  chiselings,  bearing 
the  figures  of  serpents,  eagles,  lions  (in  their  fabulous 
shapes  as  Naga,  Kruth,  Sinto),  on  the  ends.  In  the 
middle  of  the  lake  is  a  small  island  with  the  remains  of 
a  palace  on  it.  Of  all  the  figures  used  for  ornaments 
that  which  occurs  most  frequently  is  that  of  the  Naga, 
and  a  Chinese  officer  who  visited  Cambodia  in  1295 
describes  the  pillars  of  the  stone  bridges  as  adorned 
with  serpents,  each  of  which  had  nine  heads." 

Realizing  the  importance  of  these  ruins  to  the  world 
and  recognizing  the  hardship  and  danger  that  attends 
one  in  venturing  so  far  into  the  interior  of  the  country, 


100  THE   PEARL  OF    ASIA, 

His  Majesty,  King  Chulalongkorn,  has  had  a  model 
made,  the  reproduction  in  miniature  of  Nagkon  Wat, 
that  at  once  attracts  the  attention  of  beholders  when 
they  visit  the  palace  grounds.  The  model  is  about 
twenty-five  feet  in  length  by  about  twenty  in  breadth 
and  shows  the  lofty  domes,  high  porticos,  majestic 
columns,  high  flights  of  stairs  and  the  innumerable 
alcoves  and  entrances.  With  the  exception  of  the 
leading  towers  the  model  shows  the  building  in  a 
remarkable  state  of  preservation,  just  as  it  was  when 
Mr.  Vincent  was  there.  It  is  hard  to  realize  that  that 
was  once  the  capitol  of  a  section  of  country  that 
teemed  with  an  active  and  energetic  people,  now 
nothing  remains  but  a  crumbling  monument  of  the 
vast  power  and  wealth  of  a  nation  apparently  now 
forgotten.  Aside  from  its  immensity  it  is  a  marvel  of 
architectural  skill,  and  this  model  has  caused  these 
stupendous  ruins  to  be  known  by  many  who  would 
otherwise  have  regarded  them  as  a  myth  or  the 
vaporing  of  some  fanciful  traveler  ;  he  has  thus  rescued 
them  from  oblivion.  It  was  with  feelings  of  awe  that 
I  contemplated  the  outlines  of  this  massive  building 
now  buried  in  the  forest,  unknown  its  builder,  its 
legends  and  history  written  on  its  walls  in  forgotten 
characters  and  dedicated  to  a  mysticism  by  a  host  of 
yellow-robed  priests  whose  religion  is  a  species  of  for- 
getful ness  of  which  this  temple  is  a  true  type? 
crumbling  slowly  to  decay.  Nature  is  slowly  spread  ing 
a  network  of  vines  and  shrubbery  over  it,  bushes  are 
springing  up  where  once  knelt  worshipers  and 
Buddha  sits  enthroned  on  a  gigantic  pedestal  alone 
amidst  the  desolation,  ignored  and  almost  unwor- 
shiped,  as  there  are  but  few  to  do  him  reverence  save 


THE   11EARL   OF   ASIA.  101 

a  few  cadaverous  priests  and  slaves,  living  in  miserable 
thatched  bamboo  huts.  And  this  was  once  the  temple 
of  the  East,  the  capitol  of  a  mighty  people,  now  the  for- 
est trees  hide  all  its  grandeur  from  the  world  and  it  is 
only  seen  by  the  lone  traveler  who  braves  the  danger 
of  the  jungle  to  feast  his  eyes  on  a  scene  that  has  no 
parallel  on  our  planet,  a  mighty  monument  of  man's 
skill,  a  wonder  to  all,  now  a  "  wreck  in  ruinous  perfec- 
tion." Absorbed  in  thought  one's  memory  runs  back 
over  the  gamut  of  centuries ;  from  the  misty  legends  of 
the  ages  fled  was  evolved  the  mighty  edifices  told  of  by 
historians  :  of  Babel's  towers,  of  Baelbec  and  Palmyra, 
Troy  and  Carthage,  of  Ephesus'  proud  temple,  the 
Parthenon  pride  of  the  Peleopenesus,  all  dust,  each 
kingly  column  shattered,  while  here  another  Palenque, 
arnid  palms  and  tangled  vine  and  banyan  tree,  rears  its 
stupendous  piles  toward  heaven,  unknown  its  architect 
or  kingly  builder,  silent  as  the  sphinx,  but  massive  as  the 
pyramids.  The  sun  of  centuries  has  gilded  its  spires, 
the  winds  have  sung  requiems  through  its  corridors  and 
for  cycles  to  come  it  will  stand  unrivaled  as  one  of  the 
grandest  monuments  conceived  by  genius  and  reared 
by  man,  before  which  the  Colosseum  shrinks  as  a  work 
of  art  and  will  rank  in  majestic  proportions  with  the 
pyramids 


VIII. 

THE     SUPREME     PALACE     AND     EOYAL 
TEMPLES. 

Nowhere  can  be  seen  a  more  unique  collection  of 
buildings  than  those  closely  grouped  together  within 
the  palace  walls  of  Siam's  capital  city,  the  most 
important  of  which  is  the  supreme  palace,  the  residence 
of  His  Majesty  and  his  many  queens,  where  he  grants 
audiences  to  the  diplomatic  corps  and  receives  dis- 
tinguished guests,  also,  the  Princes  and  officials  of  his 
realms.  The  building  (as  can  be  seen  from  the  engrav- 
ing) is  very  handsome,  pure  white,  built  in  the  French 
style  with  a  magnificant  facade  and  portico,  the  roof 
strictly  Siamese,  covered  with  green  and  gold  tiles,  so 
that  when  the  sun  shines  on  them  they  glow  like  a  mass 
of  gold  and  emerald,  dazzling  to  the  beholder.  Leading 
to  the  portico,  with  its  tall  columns,  are  massive 
marble  steps,  at  the  base  of  which  are  two  elephants 
heavily  gilded,  about  five  feet  in  height,  while  along 
the  front  large  windows,  heavily  draped  with  yellow 
damask  curtains,  look  out  on  the  courtyard.  The 
main  entrance  to  the  building  is  through  large  two 
leaved  teak  wood  doors,  elaborately  carved  and  orna- 
mented, into  a  spacious  anti-chamber,  the  floor  of 
which  is  covered  with  square  blocks  of  white  and  black 
marble  ;  the  walls  of  highly  polished  teak  are  orna- 
mented with  all  kinds  of  weapons,  from  ancient  spears 
and  battle-axes  to  the  most  improved  repeating  rifles. 
To  the  left  as  you  enter,  up  a  flight  of  four  marble 

102 


i3 

VI 

B 
•O 


THE  PEARL    OF    ASIA.  103 

steps,  is  the  reception  room  of  His  Majesty,  one  side  of 
which  is  supported  with  massive  columns  and  filled 
with  statuary,  bronzes,  vases,  one  pair  from  Bavaria 
of  massive  size;  also,  a  chair  manufactured  from  ele- 
phant's tusks  carved  most  artistically,  the  ceiling 
magnificently  frescoed  and  the  walls  decorated  with 
life-sized  portraits  of  the  kings  of  Siam  and 
leading  'men  of  the  Kingdom.  Passing  through 
this  room  you  enter  a  smaller  one,  the  private  reception 
chamber  of  the  King,  which  is  most  royally  furnished, 
as  is  the  entire  palace,  witji  furniture  made  expressly 
for  this  building  in  Paris.  This  room  seems  to  be  the 
receptacle  of  the  many  works  of  art  and  objects  of 
interest  presented  to  the  reigning  dynasty,  also  por- 
traits of  the  late  Queen,  the  Crown  Prince,  the  Emperor 
Frederick  of  Germany  and  other  distinguished  person- 
ages, an  alabaster  bust  of  the  present  Queen  of  Italy 
and  a  number  of  magnificently  bound  albums  filled 
with  photographs  of  notables,  one  filled  exclusively 
with  Americans,  embracing  General  and  Mrs.  Grant, 
President  Cleveland  and  wife,  Mr.  Bayard  and  others. 
On  the  right  of  the  anti-chamber  is  a  corridor  leading 
to  the  private  apartments  of  the  building,  while  nearly 
facing  the  entrance  is  the  door  of  the  grand  audience 
hall  or  throne  room  (Pra-ma-ha-pra-sot),  a  magnifi- 
cent apartment,  containing  no  furniture,  as  no  one  is 
supposed  to  sit  in  the  presence  of  the  King  while  he  is 
standing,  the  floor  covered  with  a  lovely  Persian  carpet; 
an  immense  chandelier  is  suspended  from  the  ceiling, 
the  walls  ornamented  with  pictures  and  arms  of  all 
kinds.  Facing  the  entrance  at  the  extreme  end  is  a 
dais  surrounded  with  four  steps  surmounted  with  the 
pagoda-shaped  umbrella  (sa-wekra-chat ),  an  insignia  of 


104  THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

royalty,  under  which  the  King  stands  when  he  gives 
audience  to  the  Princes  and  nobles  or  the  diplomatic 
body  when  they  call  upon  him.  The  structure  is  large 
and  is  a  perfect  poem  in  stone ;  it  was  erected  at  vast 
expense  by  King  Chulalongkorn,  the  palace  of  his  pre- 
decessors, adjacent,  now  being  used  for  state  ceremo- 
nials and  religious  purposes.  But  few  persons  save  those 
in  immediate  attendance  on  His  Majesty  have  the 
entree  of  the  palace,  and  his  servitors  are  jealous  of  the 
approach  of  foreigners,  the  guards  at  the  door  scruti- 
nizing every  one  most  closely  and  it  is  only  upon  special 
or  important  business  that  foreigners  are  allowed 
to  cross  its  portals,  one  or  more  of  the  Princes  or  lead- 
ing nobles  always  being  in  attendance.  As  a  specimen 
of  superb  architecture  the  supreme  palace  at  Bangkok 
stands  unrivaled. 

The  next  building  of  importance  is  Wat  Phza  Keau, 
the  temple  of  the  Emerald  idol,  or  Royal  wat,  which  is 
the  finest  in  the  kingdom,  costing  an  immense  sum  and 
nearly  fifty  years  in  its  erection.  It  is  built  similar  to 
other  wats,  but  the  workmanship,  both  interior  and 
exterior,  is  of  a  much  higher  order,  evincing  great  skill 
on  the  part  of  the  native  artisans.  The  floor  is  laid 
with  brass  brick,  six  inches  square,  and  the  walls  are 
covered  with  well  executed  paintings,  illustrative  of 
the  life  and  adventures  of  Buddha ;  the  ceiling  is  a  mass 
of  fretted  gold,  from  which  hang  a  number  of  mag- 
nificent chandeliers,  sparkling  like  diamonds  when  the 
light  falls  upon  them,  and  casting  a  glory  on  the  high 
altar  that  is  situated  near  one  end  of  the  room.  This 
altar  is  about  sixty  feet  in  height,  pyramidal  in  shape 
and  surmounted  by  the  Emerald  idol,  from  which  the 
wat  takes  its  name,  an  image  of  Buddha  twelve  inches 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  105 

high  and  eight  in  width,  in  a  sitting  position.  It  has 
the  appearance  of  having  been  carved  out  of  an  emer- 
ald, but  close  observers  assure  me  that  it  is  of  jade 
stone;  its  collar  and  hair  is  of  the  purest  gold,  and 
while  the  metal  was  in  a  molten  state  rare  jewels  were 
poured  into  it,  -diamonds,  sapphires,  rubies,  topazes, 
amethysts,  onyxes,  crystals,  and  emeralds,  which  were 
blended  in  such  proportions  as  to  enhance  its  value 
to  the  greatest  extent  and  thus  render  it  an  object  of 
adoration,  akin  to  the  well-known  lines, 

"A  cross  she  wore 
That  Jews  might  kiss  or  infidels  adore." 

On  each  side  of  the  altar  is  a  statue  of  Buddha  over 
six  feet  in  height,  heavily  plated,  with  raised  hands, 
palms  turned  out,  and  in  the  palm  of  each  hand  and 
on  the  lingers  are  diamonds  and  other  jewels  of  rare 
value  while,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  engraving,  are 
smaller  statues  of  the  great  teacher,  many  of  them  of 
solid  gold  and  silver,  presents  from  Kings  and  Princes  ; 
also  silver  and  gold  trees,  royal  umbrellas,  rare  vases 
filled  with  golden  flowers,  and  a  myriad  of  other  things 
that  have  been  presented  by  votaries  as  offerings  to  the 
representative  of  the  founder  of  their  religion  valued  at 
about  $5,000,000.  The  origin  of  the  emerald  idol  is  leg- 
endary and  partakes  somewhat  of  the  miraculous.  Many 
years  since  the  lightning  struck  a  Burmese  temple  and 
completely  demolished  it.  In  searching  among  the  ruins 
a  priest  was  startled  by  a  gleam  of  light  beneath  a 
mass  of  rubbish,  and  on  clearing  it  away  the  image  was 
unearthed  and  shone  with  undimmed  glory.  It  was 
immediately  placed  in  another  temple  and  since  then 
regarded  with  great  reverence.  During  one  of  the 
many  wars  that  have  occurred  between  the  Burmese 


106  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

and  Siamese  the  idol  fell  into  the  hands  of  its  present 
owners  and  this  magnificent  wat  was  erected  as  a  fit 
place  for  its  final  abode.  The  large  square  pillars  of 
this  gorgeous  temple  are  ornamented  in  an  arabesque 
of  mother  of  pearl  and  the  balusters  that  lead  to  the 
portico  are  large  carved  serpents  with  three  heads,  the 
windows  and  doors  are  massive  and  elaborately  carved. 
In  this  wat  the  King  worships  and  it  is  here  that  his 
nobles  assemble  and  drink  the  water  of  allegiance 
and  subscribe  to  a  most  blood-curdling  oath  that  they 
will  ever  prove  faithful  to  His  Majesty  under  the  sever- 
est penalties  here  and  hereafter.  In  the  court  sur- 
rounding the  wat  are  a  number  of  marble  statues  of 
persons  and  nondescripts,  among  them  one  supposed 
to  be  Peter,  one  of  the  Apostles;  another  of  Ceres,  the 
Grecian  goddess  of  agriculture. 

There  are  quite  a  cluster  of  buildings  around  the 
royal  wat,  near  it  a  temple  that  is  considered  one  of 
the  handsomest  buildings  in  the  world,  which  was  com- 
menced by  the  founder  of  the  present  dynasty  and 
completed  by  the  present  king,  requiring  nearly  one 
hundred  years  to  build.  It  is  a  mass  of  mother  of 
pearl  inlaid  with  precious  metals  in  arabesque,  while 
the  inside  walls  are  studded  over  with  small  mirrors 
and  precious  stones  inserted  in  the  plaster  which  glit- 
ter like  so  many  gems,  the  doors,  walls  and  ceiling  a 
marvelous  mosaic,  in  the  center  a  magnificent  altar, 
over  which  hangs  a  most  elaborate  chandelier.  The 
history  of  Siam  and  the  travels  of  Buddha  are  painted 
on  the  walls  of  the  corridor  leading  to  the  wat  in  gro- 
tesque but  brilliant  coloring,  not  obscene  like  many 
paintings  in  India,  while  surrounding  it  are  a  number 
of  heavily  gilt  images,  large  as  life,  with  roosters'  tails 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  107 

and  feet,  peacocks,  eagles,  monkeys,  etc.,  and  on  each 
side  of  the  four  black  marble  steps  that  lead  to  this 
temple  is  the  representation  of  a  dragon  with  three 
worn'en's  heads,  the  heads  forming  the  ornament  at  the 
base  of  the  steps,  while  around  the  court,  which  is 
paved  with  black  and  white  marble  tiles,  is  about  fifty 
marble  statues  of  the  various  nationalities  and  gro- 
tesque figures,  some  of  them  uncouth.  Adjacent  to  this 
wat  is  a  small  pagoda  in  which  is  a  massive  pyramidal 
cabinet,  a  mosaic  of  mother  of  pearl  and  ebony,  the 
receptacle  of  the  sacred  books  of  Buddha.  The  floor 
of  this  room  is  covered  with  a  "carpet  of  woven  silver, 
but  the  attendants,  with  the  indolence  that  seems  to 
belong  to  this  people,  have  allowed  it  to  become  so 
filthy  that  one  has  to  rub  his  foot  over  it  to  see  that  it 
is  made  of  silver.  Immediately  opposite  is  the  golden 
pagoda,  bell-shaped,  about  sixty  feet  in  height,  covered 
from  base  to  summit  with  small  tiles,  one  inch  square, 
heavily  plated  with  gold,  which  causes  the  building  to 
glow  like  a  mass  of  burnished  metal.  It  is  entered  by 
three  doors,  and  in  the  center  is  a  smaller  pagoda, 
similar  to  the  large  one,  heavily  gilt,  in  which  is 
deposited  some  of  the  relics  of  Buddha,  supposed 
relics,  as  the  captain  of  the  guard  assured  me;  the  walls 
are  covered  with  angels,  well  painted,  and  the  whole 
is  as  unique  as  it  is  beautiful.  Near  this  is  a  pagoda, 
built  of  porcelain,  the  receptacle  of  the  gold  urns  that 
contain  the  ashes  of  the  royal  family  of  Siam.  It  is 
the  most  elaborate  building  in  the  palace  grounds, 
built  of  tiles  of  various  colors,  representing  birds, 
animals,  flowers  and  foliage,  the  whole  surmounted 
with  a  handsome  bouquet  of  lotus  blossoms. 
This'  building  is  sealed  from  the  prying  eye  of 


108  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

the  public.  In  a  square  close  by  is  a  model  of  the 
great  temple  of  Angkor,  the  most  collossal  ruins  in 
Asia,  which  I  have  spoken  of  elsewhere. 

Surrounding  these  wats  is  a  high  wall  with  several 
portals,the  inside  of  which  is  converted  into  a  corridor, 
and  on  its  walls  are  depicted  quite  artistically  many  of 
the  superstitions  and  legends  of  this  land  of  the  lotus. 
The  courts  are  all  paved  with  black  and  white  marble, 
and  on  the  inside  of  each  entrance  are  two  large 
wooden  statues,  about  twelve  feet  high,  hideous  old 
fellows,  ostensibly  the  Gog  and  Magog  of  Siam.  For- 
eigners have  but  little  trouble  in  visiting  these  temples 
as  a  tical  (sixty  cents)  is  the  open  sesame,  and  there  is 
always  some  one  at  the  gate  to  show  strangers  around. 
In  the  royal  wat,  in  the  large  show  cases,  can  be  seen 
rare  treasures,  dishes  full  of  uncut  stones,  robes  in 
which  are  woven  rubies,  emeralds,  sapphires  and  dia- 
monds, cloth  of  woven  gold  and  other  articles  of  rare 
value,  computed  by  some  to  be  worth  millions  of  dollars. 
Salas  and  other  small  buildings  are  scattered  over  the 
ground,  and  with  their  brilliant  tiles  and  ornaments 
make  this  spot  a  scene  of  oriental  enchantment 
unlike  any  other  place  on  the  globe.  I  have  spent 
many  hours  there,  and  each  time  I  left  it  more 
and  more  impressed  with  its  beaut}'  and  grandeur; 
words  are  inadequate  to  do  it  justice.  On  some  of  the 
wats  are  hung  small  bells,  brass  lotus  leaves,  which, 
as  the  wind  blows  them  back  and  forth,  make  weird 
music  that  lend  additional  enchantment  to  the  scene. 
But  few  priests  are  found  about  these  buildings,  and 
what  seemed  strange  was  to  notice  many  of  the 
servitors  lounging  on  the  porticos  and  playing 
Siamese  games  for  money ;  playing  with  dice  as  well 


THE   PEARL    OF   ASIA.  109 

as  with  cards ;  but  the  most  popular  game  seems  to  be  to 
pile  up  a  lot  of  ats,  similar  to  our  pennies,  in  a  small 
ring  and  then  by  throwing  another  knock  as  many  as 
possible  out  of  the  ring.  Men,  women  and  children  gam- 
ble, from  playing  marbles  to  chicken  fighting,  and  there 
is  no  village  too  small  not  to  have  its  cockpit. 

The  other  portion  of  the  palace  grounds  is  filled  with 
various  buildings,  the  Mint,  Foreign  Ministers  palace, 
Courts  of  Justice  (?),  Koyal  Library,  which  contains 
some  very  valuable  books  of  the  western  nations,  with  a 
large  collection  of  Indian  works  and  manuscripts  and 
Siamese  literature ;  residences  of  nobles  and  servitors 
of  the  King  and  Queens,  numbering  about  five  thousand 
persons ;  barracks  for  the  guards,  and  the  stables  for 
the  white,  elephants,  a  place  that  always  attracts  the 
attention  of  foreigners,  and  once  seen,  all  the  romance 
that  travelers  have  woven  around  these  peculiar  ani- 
mals fade  away  and  one  realizes  the  truth  of  Falstaff's 
assertion,  "  Lord,  how  this  world  is  given  to  lying." 

The  animals  are  kept  in  a  large  building,  each  hav- 
ing a  room  for  itself,  and  are  attended  by  a  keeper. 
The  rooms  have  no  ornaments,  are  filthy,  and  the  ani- 
mals are  not  white,  but  a  dirty  coffee  color,  and  no  one 
seems  to  hold  them  in  special  reverence.  For  an  at, 
the  keeper  will  make  the  royal  beast  throw  up  his 
trunk  and  salute  you.  There  were  four  elephants  in 
the  stable,  and  they  are  undoubtedly  albinos,  the  word 
white  being  a  misnomer.  The  assertion  that  the 
Siamese  adore  them  and  that  they  are  fed  off  of  gold 
salvers  by  Princes  on  bended  knee  is  a  traveler's  tale, 
which  no  doubt  grew  out  of  the  fact  that  they 
are  held  in  reverence  from  the  supposition  that 
Buddha,  in  one  of  his  many  metamorphoses,  through 


110  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

millions  of  years,  must  necessarily  delight  to  abide  for 
some  time  in  the  grand  incarnation  of  purity  which  is 
represented  by  the  white  elephant.  The  priests  teach 
that  there  is  no  spot  throughout  the  universe  that  is 
not  at  some  time  visited  by  the  great  teacher  in  his 
peregrinations,  whose  every  step  is  toward  purity,  and 
as  the  elephant  is  the  largest  of  created  animals  and 
white  being  the  emblem  of  purity  the  chances  are  that, 
should  he  dwell  for  a  time  in  one  of  God's  creatures,  he 
would  remain  longer  in  one  of  that  color  than  any 
other,  hence  in  the  possession  of  this  sacred  creature 
they  may  secure  the  presence  of  Buddha  himself. 
Sometimes  the  elephant  is  regarded  as  an  oracle,  as 
he  is  one  of  the  most  intelligent  of  beasts,  and  the 
Siamese  whisper  their  secrets  in  his  ear  and  request  an 
answer  by  some  movement  or  sign;  as  wise  a  plan  us 
appealing  to  the  oracles  of  old.  The  last  elephant 
admitted  to  the  royal  stables  was  caught  about  ten 
years  since  and  brought  to  Bangkok  in  regal  style, 
where  he  was  received  by  the  King  and  Court  as  if  he 
had  been  some  potentate  on  a  visit  to  royalty.  He 
was  carefully  groomed  and  around  his  body  was  placed 
a  broad  belt  flashing  with  jewels.  After  much  cere- 
mony he  was  conducted  in  grand  procession  with  music, 
flags  and  a  body-guard  to  his  stable,  where  he  is  now 
well  cared  for  and  only  makes  his  appearance  with  the 
other  white  elephants  on  state  occasions.  From  time 
immemorial  the  elephant  has  been  the  oriflamme  of 
Siam,  everything  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  is  stamped 
with  his  portraiture ;  it  is  the  badge  of  distinction 
and  shows  grandly  on  the  Siamese  flag,  the  white 
elephant  on  a  crimson  ground,  it  is  a  part  of  the  coat 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  Ill 

of  arms  of  royalty.  Like  our  eagle,  it  is  an  important 
appendage  of  state,  nothing  less,  nothing  more.  When 
the  father  of  the  present  King  ascended  the  throne  he 
did  much  to  disabuse  the  minds  of  his  people  of  many 
of  their  superstitions ;  in  fact  he  founded  a  new  school 
of  Buddhism  which  is  being  followed  out  by  King 
Chulalongkorn,  and  the  reverence  formerly  paid  to  the 
white  elephant  has  faded  away  before  the  blaze  of 
enlightenment  of  the  present  age.  Much  of  this  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  deceased  King  was  a  fair  English 
scholar  and  a  good  astronomer;  he  encouraged  the 
missionaries  and  others  that  came  to  Siam  in  an  early 
day,  not  fearing  that  they  would  make  any  inroads  on 
the  religious  beliefs >  of  his  people,  and  his  intercourse 
with  the  consuls  and  merchants  from  other  lands  made 
him  liberal  in  his  views  and  progressive.  Fifty  years 
since  Siam  was  a  sealed  book,  to-day  it  is  open  to  be 
seen  by  all,  and  its  fertile  valleys  and  emerald  plains 
yield  ample  crops  to  the  husbandman,  and  its  rice  and 
other  products  are  eagerly  sought  for  and  give  employ- 
ment to  a  vast  fleet  of  vessels  that  daily  fret  the  waters 
of  the  Menam.  All  of  the  modern  inventions  have 
been  introduced  into  the  Kingdom,  and  each  year  marks 
a  new  .departure  over  the  highway  of  nations  that 
must  redound  to  the  glory  of  the  King  and  the  pros- 
perity of  his  people.  American  and  European  doctors 
have  charge  of  his  hospitals,  an  American  is  at  the  head 
of  his  University,  an  American  ran  his  lines  of  tele- 
graph through  jungles  that  no  other  white  man  had 
ever  penetrated,  and  in  the  American  mission  schools 
are  now  being  educated  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the 
leading  Princes  and  Governors,  while  the  missionaries 


112 


THE   PEARL   OF    ASIA. 


are  received  and  treated  with  a  cordiality  that  must  be 
pleasing  to  those  soldiers  of  the  cross  who  have  thus 
gone  into  exile  for  the  purpose  of  the  carrying  out  of 
the  great  work  of  Christianity. 


Imperial  Altar  and  Emerald  Idol. 


IX. 

PECULIAR  MANNER  OF  SCARING  AWAY 
THE  DRAGON. 


While  lying  on  the  river  at  Petchaburee,  an  inland 
city,  about  seventy-five  miles  from  Bangkok,  I  was 
awakened  by  the  most  hideous  noise ;  the  firing  of 
guns,  shooting  of  crackers,  beating  of  drums  and  tom- 
toms and  the  shouting  of  a  vast  multitude.  Looking 
out  of  the  window  of  my  boat  a  weird  spectacle  pre- 
sented itself  to  my  vision.  The  whole  place  was  lighted 
up  by  huge  bonfires  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  and 
the  air  full  of  glittering  rockets.  Calling  my  kavass  I 
inquired  what  was  the  occasion  of  the  hubbub?  With 
his  usual  vye,  touching  the  points  of  his  fingers 
together  and  raising  them  up  on  a  level  with  his  breast, 
he  replied,  "  Your  Excellency,  the  great  dragon  has 
the  moon  swallowed  up."  Having  heard  that  the 
natives  thus  celebrated  the  approach  of  an  eclipse,  I 
stepped  ashore  and  mingled  with  the  crowd  Which  was 
made  up  of  all  classes,  old  and  young,  with  a  large 
sprinkling  of  yellow-robed  priests  who  were  as  active 
as  the  others  in  keeping  up  the  unearthly  din.  It  was 
a  lovely  morn,  the  southern  cross  hung  like  a  gleaming 
jewel  in  the  upper  deep,  gentle  zephyrs  perfumed  by 
myriads  of  flowers  fanned  the  brow  and  waved  the 
feathery  bamboo  as  gently  as  the  coquette  her  fan, 
the  round  orbed  moon,  a  bright  silver  disk,  was  sus- 
pended in  the  western  heavens,  burnished  like  the 
shield  of  Achilles,  while  all  around  burned  the  many 

113 


THE   PEAKL    OF   ASIA. 

fires  which  shed  a  glare   on  the  crowd  of  half-clad 
adults  and  naked  children.     A  shadow  had  just  fallen 
upon  the  surface  of  the  queen  of  night,  slowly  it  spread 
over  it  until  the  face  of  the  great  luminary  was  covered, 
and  it  hung  in  the  cloudless  heavens  an  orb  of  roseate 
hue,  its  radiance  all  gone.  Then  the  noise  became  terrific, 
the  reports  of  guns  and  crackers  were  almost  deafening, 
which  increased  as  a  gleam  of  silver  tinged  the  outer 
rim  of  the  dimmed  goddess.     Slowly  the  shadow  passed 
away,  the  light  growing  brighter  and  brighter,  the  great 
dragon  Asura  Eahu,  that  had  attempted  to  swallow 
the  moon,  had  been  driven  away  and  it  again  shone  in 
all  of  its  brilliancy,  but  soon  faded  away  before  the 
corruscations  of  the  coming  dawn.     It   was  a  scene 
photographed  on  the  memory  worthy   the   pen  of  an 
Arnold  or  the  pencil  of  a  Titian :   the  ruddy  glow  of 
the  flowing  water,  the  multitude  upon  the  river  banks 
with  its  white  houses  embowered  in  dense  foliage,  the 
frantic  efforts  of  the  people   as  the  shadow    drifted 
across  the  disk  of  the  moon  and  fell  across   the  land- 
scape and  the   glare  of  the  fires   that   lighted  up  the 
immediate  surroundings,  a  spectacle  that  could  be  wit- 
nessed nowhere  else  save  in  the  interior  of  Siam,where 
no  white  man  dwells  and  the  native  clings  to  his  super- 
stitions as  religiously  as  did  his    forefathers  ere  the 
present  dynasty  ascended  the  throne  of  this  kingdom. 
It  was  early  morn  ere  peace  reigned   once  more,  and 
when  the  sun  rose  amid  the  pearliest  of  skies  its  beams 
lit  up  a  lovely   scene,   gilding  the   spires  of  the   wats 
and  roofs  of  the  palaces ;  business  had  resumed  its  sway, 
the  fisherman  was  hawking  fish,  the   fruitier  his  fruit, 
the  merchant  had  displayed  his  goods  on  the  counter, 
the  priests  were  gathering  their  food  into  their  rice 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  115 

pots  for  the  day's  provender  and  the  moon  and  the 
dragon  seemed  to  have  passed  into  oblivion,  the 
only  evidence  of  the  nocturnal  saturnalia  being 
the  smoking  pyres  that  had  been  lighted  and  the 
exploded  red  and  white  crackers  that  strewed  the 
ground. 

Upon  inquiry  I  learned  that  it  has  been  the  custom 
of  the  people  of  Siam  from  time  immemorial 
to  thus  drive  off  the  dragon  Eahu  and  the  legend 
runs  thus :  According  to  Buddhistic  belief,  in  a 
former  state  of  transmigration  the  sun  (Athil),  the 
moon  (Chen),  and  the  Asura  Rahu  were  brothers.  They 
gave  alms  to  the  priests,  the  first  on  a  golden  salver, 
the  second  in  a  silver  vase  and  the  latter  in  a  black 
pot,  which  led  to  their  all  being  born  as  angels ;  the 
first  as  angel  of  the  sun,  second  as  angel  of  the  moon 
and  the  third  as  the  angel  Rahu.  The  latter,  who  had 
been  on  bad  terms  with  his  brethren,  sinned  and  became 
one  of  the  Asuras,  or  fallen  angels,  who  were  expelled 
from  heaven  by  Indra,  king  of  the  lower  heavens,  in  a 
drunken  state  and  driven  to  a  region  underneath 
Meru,  the  central  mountain,  from  which  they  make 
continual  sallies,  vainly  attempting  to  regain  their 
former  abode,  the  most  powerful  of  which  is  Asura 
Rahu,  who  is  always  known  to  be  abroad  by  his  attempt- 
ing to  swallow  the  sun  and  moon,  his  brothers,  which 
occasions  the  eclipses ;  but  the  rapid  motion  of  these 
bodies  make  it  impossible  for  him  to  hold  them  for  any 
length  of  time.  At  some  great  Siamese  ceremonies  one 
may  see  an  enormous  serpent  or  dragon,  made  of 
lamps,  ingeniously  joined  together,  and  borne  about  by 
a  number  of  men,  intended  to  represent  Rahu  chasing 
the  moon.  Conversing  with  some  of  the  leading  Princes 


116  THE   PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

in  regard  to  this  legend,  they  smilingly  remarked  that 
the  ceremonies  now  attending  the  eclipse  was  but  the 
mere  keeping  up  of  an  ancient  custom,  like  the  western 
nations  hanging  up  stockings  for  St.  Nicholas  to  fill 
with  sweets ;  that  the  belief  in  the  dragon  Rahu  of 
Si  am  was  but  a  myth,  as  was  that  of  St.  George  and 
the  dragon  of  Britain. 


X. 

THE  WATER  RITE. 

Among  the  many  religious  ceremonies  of  the  Sia- 
mese none  is  more  peculiar  or  more  closely  observed 
than  the  water  (nom)  rite,  which  takes  place  during 
the  month  of  April,  about  the  time  the  mangoes  are 
ripe.  Then  the  natives  assemble  at  the  nearest  wat 
close  to  the  shore  of  the  gulf  or  by  the  banks  of  a 
river  and  build  myriads  of  sand  piles  about  eighteen 
inches  high,  shaped  like  a  bee-hive,  which  they  decor- 
ate with  flowers  and  small  paper  flags  of  various  colors, 
then  sprinkle  them  with  water  highly  perfumed.  I 
have  frequently  seen  hundreds  of  men,  women  and 
children,  with  a  number  of  priests  mingled  with  the 
crowd,  making  these  mounds.  After  the  sprinkling  is 
over  each  person  fills  a  cocoanut  shell  with  water  which 
they  throw  over  one  another  amid  shouts  of  laughter; 
the  half-clad  lithe-limbed  maids  enjoying  the  fun 
immensely  as  the  young  men  chase  them  backward  and 
forward  over  the  beach,  when,  to  escape,  they  fre- 
quently plunge  into  the  tide  and  swim  out  into  the 
water,  diving  like  mermaids,  the  sport  ending  in  a 
ducking  match.  When  tired  out  they  swim  back  to 
the  beach,  amid  the  laughter  of  the  spectators. 

Water  rites  enter  largely  into  the  ceremonies  of 
the  Siamese,  and  ablution  is  encouraged  as  one  of 
the  essentials  of  health.  While  rowing  or  sailing  on 
the  Menam,  numbers  of  persons  of  both  sexes,  can  be 
seen  swimming  in  the  river  or  bathing  in  the  canals 

117 


118  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

scantily  clad,  with  nothing  on  but  a  cloth  wrapped 
about  the  loins,  about  the  size  of  a  Turkish  towel, 
while  the  children  are  as  nature  fashioned  them  and 
their  merry  laugh  rings  out  merrily  as  a  boat  glides 
by.  The  Siamese  seem  to  be  as  much  at  home  in 
the  water  as  on  land,  many  live  in  boats  or  float- 
ing houses  and  learn  to  swim  at  an  early  age. 
It  seems  strange  to  them  that  any  one  can  not  swim  ; 
this,  together  with  their  belief  that  it  is  unlucky  to  save 
a  person  from  drowning,  the  rescued  ones'  sins  being 
unloaded  on  the  rescuer  and  his  future  peccadilloes, 
also,  credited  against  him,  has  led  to  the  loss  of  several 
foreigners  who  could  have  been  saved  had  the  natives 
gone  to  their  assistance,  paying  no  heed  to  their  cries 
for  help.  The  current  of  the  Menam  at  Bangkok  is 
swift  and  full  of  eddies,  and  a  person  that  is  so  unfortu- 
nate as  to  be  overturned  out  of  a  boat  or  fall  overboard 
from  a  vessel  and  can  not  swim  is  soon  drawn  under  the 
surface,  and  several  days  elapses  ere  the  body  is  found, 
miles  away  from  where  the  treacherous  stream  swal- 
lowed it  up,  a  victim,  as  the  natives  assert,  to  the  genii 
of  the  waters. 

Many  of  the  Buddhist  ceremonies  consist  in  the 
pouring  of  water,  and  are  frequently  mentioned  in 
Buddhistic  literature.  In  the  life  of  Buddha,  when  the 
village  maiden  Suchada  is  about  to  present  him,  whom 
she  believes  to  be  an  angel,  an  offering  that  she  had 
prepared  especially  for  him,  she,  as  a  preliminary,  poured 
water  perfumed  by  the  mogra,  sweetest  of  India's  blos- 
soms, and  other  flowers  on  his  hands,  and  when  the 
King  of  Magodho  tendered  Weloowon,  his  pleasure 
garden,  to  the  great  teacher  as  a  site  for  a  monastery, 
he  ratified  the  gift  by  pouring  water  from  a  jeweled 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA.  119 

shell  on  the  earth,  and  as  the  glittering  drops  fell 
Buddah  blessed  the  ground  which  rendered  it  sacred. 
Among  the  Hindoos,  from  whom  the  Siamese  have 
derived  many  of  their  customs,  the  ceremonies  for  sac- 
rifices, marriages,  hair  cutting,  cremations,  etc.,  consists 
in  part  of  sprinkling  and  pouring  of  water.  The  priests 
pour  water,  that  has  been  blessed,  over  the  persons  of 
the  sick  that  are  brought  to  the  wats  to  be  cared  for,  and 
frequently  fill  their  mouths  full  of  water  and  blow  it  in 
the  face  of  the  invalid  and  on  the  part  of  the  body  that 
is  affected. 

When  the  present  King  of  Siam,  Chulalongkorn  I., 
was  crowned,  the  pouring  of  water  was  one  of  the 
essentials  of  the  coronation  and  not  neglected  in  the 
elaborate  ceremonies.  Henry  Alabaster,  interpreter  at 
the  English  Legation  and  afterwards  councellor  to  His 
Majesty,  briefly  records  the  ceremonials  upon  that 
occasion,  from  which  I  condense  the  following: 

The  King,  robed  in  white,  placed  himself  in  a  gold 
bath,  under  a  canopy  from  which  a  shower  of  water 
(collected,  I  was  told,  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom) 
fell  upon  him,  and  for  about  fifteen  minutes  afterwards 
His  Majesty  sat  shivering,  whilst  the  chief  Brahmin 
and  the  highest  princes  and  ladies  poured  over  him 
each  a  bowl  of  water.  This  ceremony  was  conducted 
in  an  inner  court  of  the  palace,  in  presence  of  a  very 
small  and  selected  audience,  and  no  foreigner  had  been 
allowed  to  witness  it  until  this  occasion,  when .  the 
courtesy  of  His  Grace  the  Eegent,  breaking  through 
customary  prejudice,  procured  the  honor  for  a  few. 
After  the  bath,  the  King  changed  his  dress  for  one 
more  gorgeous,  and  proceeded  to  a  hall,  where,  in 
presence  of  a  larger  but  still  select  audience,  he  sat 


120  THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

on  an  octagonal  throne,  and  changing  his  seat  eight 
times,  to  face  the  eight  points  of  the  compass,  repeated 
each  time  the  formula  called  the  coronation  oath.  He 
then  marched  along  the  center  of  the  hall,  and,  taking 
his  seat  at  the  end  opposite  to  that  where  the  octago- 
nal throne  was  placed,  he  was  invested  with  the 
crown,  sword,  and  other  insignia  of  royalty.  A  variety 
of  war-like  weapons  were  then  presented  to  His 
Majesty,  each  one  of  which,  having  been  touched  by 
him,  was  returned  to  its  place. 

His  Majesty  then  received  a  bowl  full  of  small  gold 
and  silver  flowers  to  distribute  as  a  token  of  his  royal 
desire  to  rain  prosperity  on  the  recipients. 

His  Majesty  first  handed  some  of  these  flowers  to 
the  leading  princes  and  ministers,  and  then  turned  to 
give  some  to  the  foreigners  present,  and  what  remained 
were  scattered  among  the  audience. 

After  this  ceremony  the  King  rested  for  a  short 
while,  and  then,  in  one  of  the  great  audience  halls  of 
the  palace,  gave  audience  to  the  whole  body  of  nobles. 
Then  each  leading  chief,  each  head  of  a  department, 
in  turn  or  order  of  rank  resigned  into  the  new  King's 
hands  the  rank  and  power  conferred  on  him  by  the 
King  who  had  passed  away,  and  the  new  King  in  a 
few,  short,  graceful  words  re-conferred  all  upon  him. 

To  this  audience  the  Siamese  admitted  many  for- 
eigners, who,  for  want  of  space,  had  been  debarred 
from  the  honor  and  pleasure  of  participating  in  the 
preceding  ceremonies. 

.  When  the  Crown  Prince  was  declared  heir  apparent 
to  the  throne  a  large  pavilion  was  built  out  into  the 
Menam  (see  engraving),  at  a  vast  expense,  in  the  cen- 
ter of  which  was  a  pool,  about  twelve  feet  square,  lined 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  121 

with  marble  and  having  silver  rails  to  lead  to  the 
water,  into  which  the  Prince  descended  and  was 
received  by  H.  R.  H.  Prince  Ong  Noi,  brother  of  the 
King,  who  poured  the  water  of  the  majestic  river  over 
the  Prince  from  a  cup  flashing  with  jewels,  after  he 
had  immersed  him,  the  leading  astrologers  having  fixed 
the  time  for  the  ceremony,  the  bishops,  abbots  and 
priests  meanwhile  chanting  their  litany  and  quoting 
passages  from  the  works  of  the  great  teacher,  in  the 
Pali  language.  As  the  water  fell  upon  the  bowed  head 
of  the  Prince  the  ordinance  from  the  forts  and  shipping 
thundered  forth  salute  after  salute  and  ten  thousand 
soldiers  and  mariners,  who  were  stationed  in  and  around 
the  pavilion  and  palace,  discharged  their  muskets  and 
rifles,  making  the  welkin  ring  with  their  reverberations, 
and  the  immense  crowd  that  lined  the  river  banks  and 
filled  to  suffocation  the  avenues  that  led  to  the  palace 
knew  that  the  Prince  had  undergone  the  ordinance  of 
baptism.  This  grand  oriental  ceremony  lasted  three 
days,  and  in  commemoration  thereof  the  King  caused 
medals  to  be  struck  of  gold,  silver  and  bronze,  which 
he  presented  to  the  Ministers  and  Consular  body  and 
the  Princes  and  nobles  as  souvenirs  of  this  great  event, 
the  most  important  in  the  annals  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Siam.  While  the  ceremonies  were  progressing,  tea, 
coffee,  ices,  cakes,  candied  fruits,  ginger  ale  and  soda 
water  were  handed  round  to  the  guests  by  uniformed 
servants  on  silver  salvers,  many  of  the  cups  and  plates 
used  being  of  the  rarest  porcelain. 


XI. 

CEREMONIES  OF  HAIR  CUTTING. 

When  a  Siamese  child,  boy  or  girl,  has  reached  a 
suitable  age,  the  time  for  which  is  fixed  by  the  sooth- 
sayer, or  astrologer  who  casts  its  horoscope,  ranging 
from  nine,  eleven,  thirteen  or  fifteen  years ;  the  even 
numbers  being  avoided  as  unlucky — no  more  supersti- 
tious people  exist  than  the  Siamese — the  coming  of  age, 
as  it  is  termed,  is  celebrated  with  the  most  elaborate 
ceremonies  called  So-kan  or  "  hair  cutting."  Prior  to  this 
time  the  head  of  the  child  is  shaved  with  the  exception 
of  a  tuft  or  top-knot,  which  is  allowed  to  grow  on  the 
crown  of  the  head  until  the  time  comes  when  the 
child,  if  a  boy,  is  to  be  emancipated  from  female  con- 
trol in  the  harem,  or,  if  a  girl,  as  soon  as  she  reaches  the 
years  of  puberty.  This  custom  is  observed  by  the 
nobles  or  well-to-do  Siamese  and  by  most  of  the  people. 
When  the  time  has  been  designated  for  shaving  off  the 
top-knot  the  palace  or  residence  of  the  parents  is  placed 
in  perfect  order,  festooned  with  flags  of  every  color, 
garlanded  with  flowers,  priests  engaged  to  chant  their 
litany,  bands  of  music  employed  who  day  and  night 
keep  up  a  hideous  din,  a  splendid  repast  spread  for  the 
family  and  guests  and  rare  presents  made  to  the  child 
for  his  or  her  future  benefit ;  fire- works  of  all  kinds  are 
let  off  and  the  air  is  filled  with  bombs  and  rockets, 
golden  showers  and  silver  trees  dazzle  the  eye  and  a 
bamboo  torpedo, called  the  "howling elephant,"  which, 
while  burning,  makes  a  most  mournful  noise  like  one 

122 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  123 

of  those  huge  beasts  in  pain.  At  times,  during  the 
ceremony,  one  can  imagine  himself  in  pandemo- 
nium; on  most  occasions  the  ceremony  lasts  three 
days  ;  but  when  a  "  Chow  Fa,"  the  Crown  Prince  and 
heir  apparent  to  the  throne,  born  of  royal  parents  on 
both  sides,  his  mother  being  half-sister  to  the  King, 
which  makes  him  a  celestial  Prince,  has  his  hair  cut,  as 
was  the  case  with  the  present  son  of  the  King,  the 
rites  are  more  elaborate  and  splendid,  lasting  one  week. 
For  months  before  the  day  set  by  the  astrologers  prep- 
arations had  been  going  on  on  a  grand  scale  for  the 
coming  ceremony;  a  sacred  mountain,  over  one  hundred 
feet  high,  was  erected  in  the  outer  palace  yard  and 
from  its  summit  the  Prince  descended  and  was 
received  by  the  King  and  the  priests,  typical  of  a  pass- 
age in  the  life  of  Buddha,  who,  after  fasting  on  a 
mountain,  descended  and  was  received  by  his  followers 
who  had  patiently  awaited  his  coming.  Yast  expendi- 
tures of  the  resources  of  the  Kingdom  were  exhausted 
to  do  honor  to  the  occasion,  which  was  of  the  greatest 
solemnity. 

The  date  of  the  hair  cutting,  or  "  Bai  si,"  as  the  Sia- 
mese term  it,  was  set  for  the  19th  of  January,  1891, 
and  the  morning,  one  of  unrivaled  brilliancy,  was 
ushered  in  by  a  royal  salute  from  the  vessels  in  the 
stream  lying  in  front  of  the  palace  and  by  the  various 
batteries  in  the  forts  and  on  the  esplanade.  Soon 
masses  of  gaily  dressed  natives  were  seen  wending 
their  way  toward  the  palace  and  all  that  could  pressed 
forward  to  the  entrance  and  surged  through  the  iron 
portals  of  its  white  walls,  then  squatting  down  patiently 
awaited  the  commencement  of  the  gorgeous  ceremonies 
that  were  to  convert  the  young  Prince  into  a  full-fledged 


124  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

nobleman,  one  of  the  highest  grandees,  and  to  elimin- 
ate him  from  his  mother's  control  and  to  see  him  shorn 
of  his  top-knot.  For  hours  procession  after  procession 
passed  and  repassed  along  the  wide  avenues  of  the 
palace  grounds,  each  section  headed  by  a  leading  noble, 
representing  the  various  tribes  that  are  ruled  by  Chula- 
longkornl.,  Laos,  Mauns,  Peguins,  Annomites,  Cochin 
Chinese,  Malays,  etc.,  each  in  their  peculiar  costumes, 
while  at  intervals  lacon  girls,  clad  in  glittering  vest- 
ments, went  through  their  dances  and  posturing,  which 
is  unlike  any  other  performance  of  the  kind  and  always 
attracts  the  attention  of  foreigners  as  well  as  being  pleas- 
ing to  the  natives,  the  girls  being  lithe  of  limb  and  di-essed 
to  represent  "  nats,"  or  angels,  also  the  Siamese  word 
for  a  handsome  woman.  The  religious  ceremony  when 
the  hair  was  removed  was  witnessed  only  by  the  King, 
the  Princes  and  the  royal  family  and  the  higher  order 
of  priests,  the  brother  of  the  King,  a  leading  bishop, 
officiating.  As  usual  there  was  the  pouring  of  holy 
water  from  a  crystal  chalice  sparkling  with  gems,  the 
clothing  of  the  Prince  in  vestments  prepared  for  the 
occasion,  blessing  by  the  bishops  and  chanting  of  priests. 
After  the  hair  was  cut  the  King  and  all  those  in  attend- 
ance were  sumptuously  feasted  and  then  two  stand- 
ards, called  Bai  see,  were  placed  in  the  center  of  a  circle 
and  had  the  appearance  of  the  Siamese  Sawekrachet, 
or  royal  umbrella,  one  of  the  five  insignia  of  royalty 
peculiar  to  the  reigning  dynasty.  These  standards  are 
about  eight  feet  high,  having  from  three  to  five  stories, 
the  staff  fixed  on  a  wooden  pedestal,  light  and  porta- 
ble. The  different  stories  of  the  Bai  see  are  made  of 
plantain  leaves  interspersed  with  gilt  and  silvered  paper. 
Each  story  is  circular  in  form  with  a  flaring  and 


THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA.  125 

deeply  serrated  brim  and  has  a  flat  bottom;  within 
these  receptacles  are  placed  a  little  cooked  rice,  called 
khaokhwan,  a  small  quantity  of  cakes,  some  sweet 
scented  oil,  a  handful  of  fragrant  flowers,  young 
cocoanuts  and  plantains ;  other  edibles,  also,  are 
arranged  around  the  Bai  see  and  a  tastefully 
arranged  bouquet  adorns  the  topmost  story  of  each.  A 
procession  is  then  formed  of  the  princes,  noblemen  and 
others,  who  march  around  the  standards  nine  times. 
There  tire  also  three  golden  candlesticks,  holding  each 
a  large  wax  candle,  which,  being  lighted,  are  carried 
by  different  princes  and  other  dignitaries  in  the  pro- 
cession and  handed  from  one  to  the  other  as  they 
move  around  the  standards ;  meanwhile  the  royal  son 
or  daughter,  for  whom  the  festival  is  held,  is  seated  on 
a  kind  of  throne  between  the  two  standards,  arrayed 
in  splendid  costume.  The  persons  holding  the  candles 
wave  them  when  passing  in  front  of  the  Prince,  and 
fan  the  smoke  of  them  into  his  face,  as  the  influence 
of  this  has  much  to  do  in  conferring  the  desired  bless- 
ing upon  him.  This  moving  of  the  procession  around 
the  Bai  sees  is  denomiated  Weean  t'eean,  literally 
marching  round  with  candles.  There  are  nine  of  these 
evolutions  for  a  child  of  a  king,  and  five  for  a  child,  of 
a  subject. 

This  being  finished,  one  of  the  old  and  most 
respectable  Brahmins  then  takes  a  little  of  the  rice 
from  the  Bai  see,  and  sprinkling  upon  it  a  small  quan- 
tity of  cocoa-nut  water  gave  the  Prince  a  spoonful  of  it. 
Then  dipping  his  finger  into  the  sweet-scented  oil,  and 
this  again  into  the  fragrant  flour,  he  applies  it  from 
the  point  of  his  finger  to  the  right  foot  of  the  Prince  in 
three  places.  To  the  children  of  the  people,  this  mixture 


126  THE    PEAKL    OF    ASIA. 

is  always  applied  to  the  head ;  but  to  a  child  of  a  king 
it  would  be  improper,  because  his  head  is  accounted  too 
sacred  to  be  touched  in  that  way.  This  ceremony 
having  been  completed  a  revered  doctor  of  divinity 
addresses  the  child,  in  words  said  to  be  suited  to  invite 
the  k'won  of  the  prince — that  is  his  courage  and  pluck, 
— to  a  permanent  abode  in  his  bosom,  so  that  he  shall 
spend  his  days  without  agitation  or  fear,  as  it  becom- 
eth  a  man  whom  the  fates  have  determined  shall  pass 
through  this  world  of  conflict. 

Siamese  of  the  middle  classes  nearly  all  follow  essen. 
tially  the  same  custom  for  their  children  in  regard  to 
the  puberal  hair-cutting  as  the  King  does  for  his.  Their 
festivals  are  of  course  much  less  imposing,  and  are 
continued  only  a  part  of  two  days,  and  sometimes  only 
one.  The  presents  made  to  their  children  on  these 
occasions  would  not  often  exceed  eighty  ticals  from  a 
single  person,  and  very  rarely  be  as  small  as  four.  A 
millionaire  might  ape  the  King  very  nearly  by  sending 
out  invitations  to  hundreds  of  his  wealthy  friends,  to 
attend  the  hair-cutting  of  a  son.  Few  of  them  would 
be  absent,  and  such  not  without  some  valuable  silver 
substitute,  and  few  if  any  of  those  wealthy  attendants 
would  be  likely  to  think  of  giving  less  than  one  catty, 
that  is,  eighty  ticals  each.  But  this  custom  of  making 
presents  is  but  a  system  of  exchange,  in  its  operation 
among  the  subjects  of  Siam;  because  every  man 
favored  with  the  gift  of  children  has  the  privilege  of 
making  a  hair-cutting  festival  for  each  one  of  them, 
and  will  probably  receive  as  much  in  presents  for 
his  children  on  such  occasions  as  he  ever  gave  away  to 
others  for  the  same  purposes. 

The  children  of  the  lower  classes  who  are  not  able 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  127 

to  bear  the  expense  of  a  public  hair-cutting  for  their 
children  take  them  to  a  Buddhist  temple  at  the  proper 
time  in  life,  and  have  the  priest  shave  off  the  tuft  with 
some  little  accompanying  religious  exercises  ;  and  this 
is  accounted  far  better  for  the  child  than  to  have  it  cut 
in  any  common  way. 

During  the  ceremony  the  Crown  Prince  was  the 
recipient  of  costly  presents  which  he  received  with  the 
stoicism  of  a  noble-born  Asiatic  whose  forefathers  had 
ruled  Siam  for  over  one  hundred  years,  and  he  looked, 
as  he  is,  the  worthy  son  of  one  of  the  most  liberal  as 
well  as  brainiest  men  that  now  sits  upon  a  throne,  the 
virtual  head  of  the  Buddhist  church.  All  of  the  feud- 
atory nobles  of  His  Majesty  were  assembled  in  Bang- 
kok with  their  retainers,  among  them  the  Rajah  of 
Kedah,  the  Sultans  of  Patani,  Kelanton  and  Tringanu, 
the  governors  of  Singora,  Eenong  and  Kroh,  as  well  as 
those  of  other  provinces  with  their  retainers,  all  of 
whom  bore  gifts  consisting  of  silver  and  gold  trees,  orna- 
ments, jewelry,  boxes,rare  fabrics,  jeweled  swords  and  in 
some  instances  large  rolls  of  dollars  and  sacks  of  ticals 
the  coin  of  the  realm.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  cere- 
monies the  King,  now  that  the  Prince  was  removed 
from  the  influence  of  the  women  of  the  palace,  set 
apart  a  palace  for  his  residence  which  will  be  occupied 
by  him  and  his  retainers  and  Mr.  Morant,  his  English 
tutor.  It  is  the  intention  of  His  Majesty  to  make  his  heir 
realize  the  duties  of  the  position.  Though  but  thirteen 
year  of  age  the  Prince  shows  marked  ability;  he  is  a 
good  English  scholar,  highly  advanced  in  mathematics, 
thoroughly  conversant  with  the  literature  of  Siam  and 
India  and  bids  fair,  should  nothing  intervene,  to  make 
a  monarch  as  wise  and  just  as  his  father,  who  is  wor- 


128  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

stuped  by  his  people  for  the  liberal  measures  that  he 
lias  carried  out  for  their  amelioration  and  the  pro- 
gressive spirit  manifested  in  his  efforts  to  encourage 
education,  establish  hospitals  and  railroads.  Since  he 
ascended  the  throne  prosperity  has  smiled  upon  the 
emerald  plains  and  verdant  valleys  of  this  sun-kissed 
land  which  can  well  be  called  thePearl  of  Asia,  and  he  has 
linked  his  Kingdom  to  the  outside  world  by  telegraphic 
lines,  while  his  postal  system  is  the  equal  of  any  of  the 
Western  nations.  All  that  the  Siamese  ask  is  to  be  let 
alone,  they  can  care  for  themselves,  and  the  baneful 
shadow  of  British  greed  and  French  spoliation  once 
removed  Siam  would  step  rapidly  to  the  front  as  one 
of  the  most  progressive  nations  of  the  far  East,  a 
benefit  not  only  to  its  people,  but  the  world  at  large. 


XII. 

WAT-SA-KET  AND  THE  SIAMESE  GOLGOTHA. 

One  of  the  first  places  visited  by  tourists  while  in 
Bangkok  is  Wat-Sa-Ket,  a  temple  erected  on  a  vast 
mound  of  brick  at  the  intersection  of  two  of  the  large 
klangs  or  canals  that  permeate  the  city.  It  is  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height,  built  about 
sixty  years  ago,  in  the  form  of  a  bell  with  a  circum- 
ference of  one  thousand  feet,  and  is  surmounted  by  a 
temple  that  can  be  seen  from  any  part  of  the  city, 
access  to  which  is  by  a  flight  of  stone  steps  in  front,  or 
by  a  circular  roadway  that  winds  round  it  from  base 
to  summit.  This  mound  was  raised  at  great  expense 
so  much  so  as  to  give  it  the  name  of  the  gold  moun- 
tain and  is  the  only  elevation  in  the  city,  Bangkok 
being  laid  out  on  a  level  plain,  the  delta  of  the  Menam, 
and  from  its  lofty  summit-  the  city,  embowered  in 
foliage,  stretches  away  for  miles ;  the  river,  in  the  dis- 
tance, like  a  ribbon  of  silver,  flowing  on  to  the  gulf, 
and  the  spires  and  roofs  of  the  watsand  palaces  shining 
like  burnished  gold  in  the  sun,  as  most  of  them  are 
covered  with  a  gold  tile  that  reflects  the  beams  of  the 
day  god  most  brilliantly.  The  eye  never  grows  weary 
looking  over  this  lovely  landscape  dotted  with  feathery 
bamboo,  the  deep  emerald  banyan  tree  and  palms  and 
foliage  of  all  kinds,  a  scene  of  oriental  beauty  unique 
and  worthy  a  visit  to  the  orient  to  witness.  Within 
the  boundaries  of  Wat-Sa-Ket  are  a  number  of  other 
temples  and  the  residences  of  priests.  A  portion  of 

129 


130  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

the  temple  grounds  is  set  off  for  purposes  of  crema- 
tion and  a  large  court-yard  adjacent  is  used  by  the 
custodian  of  the  temple  as  a  receptacle  for  the  bodies 
of  criminals  and  paupers,  which  are  taken  thither  and 
exposed  to  the  dogs  and  vultures,  who  soon  dispose  of 
the  remains,  and  bird  and  beast  fight  over  their  horrid 
feast  while  the  stench  is  intolerable.  Looking  on  at 
this  cannibalistic  repast  one  can  realize  the  truth  of 
Byron's  description  of  the  desecration  of  the  dead  in 
his  poem  of  "The  Siege  of  Corinth." 

In  company  with  some  friends,  who  had  heard  of 
this  modern  Golgotha,  we  proceeded  in  a  boat  to  the 
temple  and  were  ushered  through  the  dark  and  heavy 
gateway  of  the  building  by  a  yellow-robed  priest  who 
regretted  that  he  had  no  bodies  that  day  to  feed  to  the 
vultures,  which  were  roosting  on  the  roofs  and  trees 
waiting  for  their  daily  feast.  As  we  did  not  feel  like 
returning  without  looking  at  the  spot  where  com- 
mon humanity  was  thus  primitively  disposed  of,  we 
requested  to  be  shown  the  place,  and  were  soon  ushered 
into  the  yard  which  was  about  seventy-five  feet  wide 
and  one  hundred  feet  in  length,  with  a  bamboo  building 
at  one  end.  "While  examining  the  place  we  noticed  an  old 
woman  neatly  dressed  lying  upon  the  ground,  apparently 
asleep,  and  while  we  were  wondering  what  she  could 
be  doing  a  vulture  tripped  up  and  pecked  out  one  of 
her  eyes  which  it  swallowed  with  great  gusto,  then  a 
mangy,  dun-colored  pariah  dog  crept  up  and  bit  a  piece 
out  of  the  cheek  of  the  corpse  and  soon  the  air  was  full 
of  the  foul  birds  as  was  the  ground  with  dogs,  all 
eager  to  partake  of  the  hideous  feast,  literally  covering 
the  body,  fighting  for  the  flesh  and  the  bones,  and  in 
forty-five  minutes  nothing  was  left  but  a  few  of  the 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  131 

largest  bones  and  the  soles  of  the  feet,  the  whole  body 
having  disappeared  within  the  maws  of  these  hideous 
ghouls.  When  the  repast  was  ended  the  vultures  lazily 
flew  up  to  their  perch  and  sleepily  awaited  another 
human  feast.  It  was  with  feelings  of  loathing  that  the 
party  left  the  foul  enclosure  wondering  why  so  pro- 
gressive a  monarch  as  King  Chulalongkorn  did  not  put 
a  stop  to  this  beastly  way  of  disposing  of  the  pauper 
dead  of  his  capital  city,  notwithstanding  it  has 
been  the  custom  of  the  country  for  untold  years.  In 
a  lot  adjacent  to  this  Golgotha  were  large  piles  of  human 
remains  in  boxes  in  all  stages  of  decomposition  await- 
ing to  be  cremated,  their  relatives  not  having  raised  a 
sufficient  amount  to  pay  the  expense  of  the  ceremony, 
about  five  dollars  ;  but  having  paid  some  on  account  the 
bodies  were  kept  waiting  for  the  remainder  and  then 
were  converted  into  ashes.  To  say  that  the  air  was 
rank  with  the  odors  of  putrefaction  would  be  drawing 
it  mild ;  camphor  was  lavishly  used  and  for  hours  ones 
nostrils  seemed  to  be  affected  by  the  villainous  smell. 
One  visit  to  this  place  is  satisfactory  and  lasting,  and  it 
would  take  the  weird  penciling  of  a  Dore  to  portray 
its  horrors:  the  old  gray-haired  woman,  the  sable  birds 
and  dun-colored  curs  fighting  over  what  had  once  been 
a  mother,  with  yellow-robed  priests  standing  by,  while 
in  the  bamboo  house  were  some  of  her  children  listening 
to  the  teaching  of  Buddha  as  they  were  drawled  out  by 
one  of  the  many  priests  who  loiter  around  this  place  of 
horrors.  These  exposures  of  the  remains  are  of  fre- 
quent occurrence,  but  most  of  the  Siamese  are  properly 
cremated;  frequently  large  sums  are  expended  on  these 
ceremonies  and  are  conducted  with  great  pomp  and 
ceremony,  the  solemnities  being  kept  up  for  three  days. 


132  THE   PEARL   OF  'ASIA. 

It  is  «the  custom  of  the  country  to  keep  the  remains 
encased  in  coffins  after  they  are  embalmed  for  six  months 
and  then  have  the  cremations.  Prior  to  the  burning 
and  while  the  body  lies  in  state  all  kinds  of  amusements 
are  held  at  the  residence  of  the  deceased,  fire-works  are 
shot  off  at  night,  feasting  of  the  family  and  slaves, 
presents  are  made  to  the  priests  and  the  spirit  of  the 
departed  and  kindred  spirits  are  cared  for  by  a  sumptu- 
ous repast  being  daily  spread  for  them,  as  it  is  the 
belief  of  the  relatives  and  friends  that  his  or  her  spirit  is 
hovering  round  and  mindful  of  what  is  being  done  in  its 
behalf;  hence  lacons  are  held,  musicians  are  employed 
and  as  long  as  the  body  is  not  consumed  a  perfect  satur- 
nalia is  kept  up  and  large  sums  are  thus  expended  which 
are  encouraged  by  the  priests  who  are  not  forgotten. 
Immediately  opposite  the  Legation  grounds  is  the 
palace  of  a  high  noble  who  had  passed  his  allotted  time 
on  earth  and  passed  over  the  invisible  river ;  his  remains 
were  encased  in  a  large  rosewood  coffin,  after  which  it 
was  filled  with  spices  and  oils,  covered  with  costly 
silks,  then  encased  in  a  teak  wood  box  and  the  whole 
carefully  sealed  up.  After  being  painted  and  gilded 
it  was  placed  on  a  stand  and  for  six  months  it  was 
watched  daily  by  a  number  of  priests,  and  each  night 
lacons  were  held  and  fireworks  let  off  while  bands  of 
music  kept  up  a  din  till  midnight;  then  it  was  removed 
in  a  handsome  barge  and  taken  to  one  of  the  leading 
wats  for  cremation  and  placed  on  an  altar  built  for 
the  occasion,  covered  with  a  small  temple  made  of 
palms  and  ornamented  with  flags  and  colored  cloths, 
draped  around  with  handsome  curtains  which  were 
drawn  back  so  that  the  coffin  could  be  seen.  When 
everything  was  ready  a  high  nobleman  stepped  for- 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  133 

ward  with  a  small  lantern  which  he  brought  with  him 
from  the  king's  palace  and  lighted  the  pyre ;  the  lan- 
tern contained  the  holy  fire  that  is  never  allowed  to  go 
out  and  is  only  used  upon  occasions  of  this  kind  and 
then  by  the  special  favor  of  His  Majesty.  While  the 
body  was  burning  all  kinds  of  lacons  and  Chinese 
performances  were  going  on,  tea  and  sweets  were 
passed  around  among  the  invited  guests  and  a  large 
banquet  spread  so  that  all  who  desired  could  go 
and  partake  thereof;  fireworks  were  let  off,  and 
the  bursting  of  bombs  was  almost  deafening.  This 
was  kept  up  till  midnight,  and  then  the  immense  crowd 
commenced  to  drift  homeward  ;  the  body  had  been 
consumed,  and  when  morning  came  the  ashes  that  were 
left  were  carefully  collected  and  placed  in  a  small  gold 
urn  and  carefully  stowed  away  among  the  valuables  of 
the  family.  At  intervals  while  the  burning  was  going 
on  men  stationed  in  various  portions  of  the  ground 
flung  handfuls  of  small  limes,  in  which  were  inserted  a 
fuang  or  salung,  small  silver  coins,  among  the  crowd, 
who  scrambled  for  them  in  the  liveliest  manner.  The 
scene  was  weird  in  the  extreme,  and  the  lower 
order  of  the  Siamese  always  welcome  the  cremation 
ceremonies  of  a  noble  with  exceeding  joy,  an  evening 
of  unrestrained  enjoyment.  Death  to  them  seemingly 
has  no  terror,  as  they  look  upon  their  passing  away  as 
the  translation  into  some  other  sphere,  and  they  accept 
the  inevitable  as  calmly  as  if  unrobing  for  their  nightly 
slumber;  it  is  a  part  of  their  religion,  a  belief  that  is 
hoary  with  age.  That  is  one  thing  that  the  mission- 
aries have  to  contend  with,  the  indifference  manifested 
by  these  people  in  regard  to  the  hereafter;  they  regard 
the  to  come  beyond  the  grave  as  merely  a  state  of 


134  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

transition  that  covers  millions  of  years  before  they  can 
pass  through  the  seven  heavens,  as  is  taught  by  the 
priests  before  they  can  enter  Nirvana.  They  believe 
that  the  spirits  of  the  dead  are  alwa3rs  about  them,  and 
they  are  thus  induced  to  perform  meritorious  acts  to 
appease  or  please  them,  such  as  furnishing  robes  for 
the  priests,  giving  food  to  the  needy,  building  wats  and 
making  donations  for  charitable  purposes.  This  is 
called  merit  making.  Buddhists  believe  that  every  act, 
word  or  thought  has  its  consequence  which  will  appear 
sooner  or  later  in  the  present  or  in  some  future  state. 
Evil  acts  will  produce  evil  consequences,  that  is, 
may  cause  misfortune  in  this  world,  or  an 
evil  birth  in  hell,  or  as  an  animal  in  some 
future  existence.  Good  acts  will  produce  good  effects ; 
prosperity  in  this  world  or  birth  in  heaven,  or  a 
higher  position  in  the  world  in  some  future  state. 
There  is  no  God  who  judges  the  acts  and  doings  of 
mortals  in  regard  to  the  awards  of  recompense  and 
punishment ;  it  is  simply  the  inevitable  effect  of  Kam 
(consequence)  which  works  out  its  own  results.  Kam 
literally  means  that  which  is  not  foreseen  as  is  illus- 
trated in  Buddhistic  writings  by  the  story  of 
Phra  Maha  Chanok,  who  escaping  from  a  shipwreck 
fell  asleep  in  the  woods  and  on  awaking  was  received 
with  royal  honors  and  made  king  of  the  country.  This 
happening  without  any  foreknowledge  on  his  part  is 
classed  with  the  Kam  of  the  meritorious  kind.  The 
demeritorious  is  when  an  innocent  one  is  punished  for 
another's  crime,  for  instance  where  when  two  men 
were  in  bathing  and  a  crocodile  devoured  the 
one  and  left  the  other;  also,  when  two  men  were 
equally  liable  to  execution  the  judge  condemned  one 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  135 

and  set  the  other  free.  Merit  or  demerit  will  cause  a 
tendency  of  the  spirit  or  soul  in  one  direction  some 
times  to  as  many  as  seven  births  and  deaths,  which 
will  be  followed  by  a  relapse  in  the  opposite  direction 
for  six,  five  or  less  times  in  accordance  with  the 
demerits  which  sometimes  result  from  the  slaughter  of 
a  single  ant.  The  writings  of  Kam  are  voluminous 
and  like  most  of  the  literature  of  the  East  tedious  and 
frequently  irrelevant,  made  up  of  legends  and  fables. 
To  students  of  Buddhist  mythology  it  may  be  interest- 
ing, but  it  would  tire  the  general  reader  who  doubtless 
cares  very  little  concerning  the  mysticisms  of  these 
people. 


XIII. 

A  SIAMESE  EXECUTION. 

It  is  seldom  that  the  Siamese  resort  to  capital  punish- 
ment, most  violations  of  law  being  punished  by 
imprisonment,  the  major  crimes  by  incarceration  for 
life,  such  as  murder  and  treason.  As  soon  as  sentenced 
the  prisoner  is  manacled  and  turned  over  to  some 
Prince  or  noble,  whose  slave  he  becomes,  and  he  is  then 
placed  under  a  task  master  who  proceeds  to  get  all  the 
work  out  of  him  possible.  Under  his  control  the 
doomed  one  has  a  foretaste  of  hades  ere  he  shuffles  off 
his  mortal  coil.  The  life  prisoner  has  a  chain  fastened 
to  a  steel  ring  riveted  around  his  neck,  and  this  is  never 
taken  off  till  death  claims  him ;  the  chain  from  his 
neck  is  also  riveted  around  his  ankles,  and  the  clank- 
ing of  these  fetters  can  be  heard  in  every  part  of 
Bangkok,  as  long  lines  of  prisoners  are  daily  driven 
through  the  streets  to  their  work.  The  other  prisoners 
are  chained  around  the  ankles  with  a  chain  about 
eighteen  inches  in  length.  Any  one  owning  slaves  has 
a  right  to  put  them  in  chains  on  the  most  frivolous 
pretext,  and  I  was  assured  by  a  gentleman  who  had 
traveled  through  the  interior  of  the  country  that  he 
saw  large  numbers  thus  manacled,  male  and  female. 
The  .prisoners  in  Bangkok  are  put  to  work  in  the  gar- 
dens of  the  nobles,  sawing  teak  wood  logs  into 
boards,  working  on  the  streets  and  cleaning  out  canals, 
in  fact  all  kind  of  hard  work,  and  at  night  men  and 
women  are  locked  up  together  in  close  rooms  and  treated 

136 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  137 

as  if  they  had  lost  all  the  rights  of  humanity.  Should 
they  desire  any  favor  they  can  only  obtain  it  through 
the  greed  of  the  guards  who  extort  from  them  all  the 
money  that  their  relatives  can  give  for  this  purpose, 
frequently  holding  back  the  small  amount  of  rice 
doled  out  for  their  food  till  they  are  on  the 
verge  of  starvation  so  as  to  induce  their  friends 
to  come  to  their  assistance.  The  prisons,  I  have  been 
informed  by  those  who  have  entered  them,  are  filthy  in 
the  extreme ;  the  stench  intolerable.  Within  the  past 
year  His  Majesty  has  attempted  to  alleviate  the  suffer- 
ing of  the  prisoners  and  has  had  erected  a  large  prison 
house  in  accordance  with  modern  methods,  but  so  long 
as  a  prisoner  is  looked  upon  as  a  mere  beast  and  brutal 
jailors  have  him  in  charge  but  little  can  be  done  to 
benefit  his  wretched  condition.  Persons  are  arrested 
on  the  frailest  pretexts  and  knowing  the  horrors  that 
are  in  store  for  them  if  convicted  "see"  some  one  in 
power  who  u  sees  "  some  one  else  and  if  he  can  raise 
the  requisite  number  of  ticals  escapes  with  a  lightened 
pouch;  in  fact  this  state  of  affairs  was  so  prevalent  a 
couple  of  years  since  that  a  band  of  dacoits  operated 
openly  in  Bangkok  until  their  crimes  became  so  bold 
and  flagrant  that  the  attention  of  the  King  was  called 
to  it  and  then  fourteen  of  the  leaders,  whose  money 
had  hitherto  shielded  them,  were  arrested  and  tried; 
the  evidence  against  them  was  conclusive  and  they 
were  sentenced  to  be  executed.  Every  effort  was  made 
to  save  them  by  their  friends,  but  it  availed  not,  in  this 
instance  money  was  powerless,  the  King  had  moved  in 
the  matter.  That  settled  it,  no  one  daring  to  set  aside 
the  edict  of  royalty. 
A  Siamese  execution  is  a  peculiar  affair  After 


138  THE    PKAKL    OF    ASIA. 

sentence  of  death  is  pronounced  on  a  prisoner  he  is  con- 
fined in  jail  till  the  morning  of  execution  and  then  a 
bamboo  yoke,  about  a  yard  in  length,  is  placed  around 
his  neck  and  fastened  to  a  round  piece  of  wood  that 
encloses  his  wrists,  thus  keeping  the  arms  stretched  out 
in  front  of  him  and  with  chains  on  his  neck  and  ankles 
he  is  led  to  a  wat  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  execu- 
tion ground  where  he  is  bambooed  by  the  executioner 
and  after  prayers  by  the  priests  is  taken  to  the 
spot  selected  for  the  purpose  where  a  small  bamboo 
cross  is  stuck  in  the  ground  ;  the  yoke  and  chain  around 
the  neck  is  then  taken  off  and  the  prisoner  ordered  to 
squat  down  in  front  of  the  cross  to  which  his  arms  are 
fastened,  he  is  then  made  to  bend  forward  with  his 
face  toward  the  ground,  in  front  of  him  are  placed 
some  flowers  and  a  few  lighted  joss  sticks,  then  one  of 
the  attendants  takes  some  mud  and  plugs  up  his  ears 
and  makes  a  mark  across  the  back  of  his  neck.  All 
being  read}'  at  a  signal  the  executioner  enters  and  as 
soon  as  he  gets  immediately  behind  the  prisoner  gives 
his  sword  a  whirl  and  bringing  it  down  with  full  force 
severs  the  head  from  the  body,  except  a  small  piece  of 
skin  which  connects  it  with  the  torso. 

Having  a  curiosity  to  witness  an  execution  I  attended 
that  of  three  dacoits,  three  of  the  fourteen  that  had 
been  sentenced,  His  Majesty  having  commuted  the 
sentence  of  eleven  to  imprisonment  for  life,  a  worse 
punishment  than  death.  After  the  prisoners  had  been 
bambooed  they  were  escorted  to  the  ground  by  a 
squad  of  soldiers  and  police.  Then  their  chains  were 
stricken  off  and  they  were  made  to  seat  themselves 
before  the  crosses  to  which  they  were  fastened,  mud  was 
then  placed  in  their  ears  and  marks  drawn  across  their 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  139 

necks.  The  feeling  of  the  crowd  now  became  intense 
and  all  eagerly  awaited  the  appearance  of  the  execu- 
tioners. The  victims  seemed  more  composed  than  the 
spectators ;  the  head  dacoit,  a  man  about  fifty  years 
old,  asked  for  a  bogee,  a  Siamese  cigar,  which  one  of  the 
attendants  lighted  for  him  and  he  smoked  it  as  coolly 
as  if  he  felt  no  terror  of  the  fate  that  hung  over  him, 
that  his  stay  on  this  earth  was  encompassed  but  by  a 
few  minutes ;  another,  a  magnificent  young  half- 
cast  Chinaman,  smiled  placidly  and  leaned  over 
and  inhaled  the  perfume  of  the  flowers  placed 
in  front  of  him,  the  other  evinced  some  feeling.  It  was 
a  strange  spectacle  to  see  those  men  squatting  on  the 
ground  with  bowed  heads  inside  a  cordon  of  soldiers 
and  immediately  behind  them  a  mass  of  people  eagerly 
awaiting  the  coming  of  the  executioners.  In  about  ten 
minutes  after  the  prisoners  were  brought  on  the 
ground  I  observed  a  slight  commotion  among  the  crowd 
and  upon  looking  up  noticed  three  men  enter  the  circle 
dressed  in  scarlet  with  gold  fringe  trimmings  on  their 
coats,  each  bearing  a  heavy  shining  sword ;  they 
advanced  dancing  and  saluting  with  their  weapons 
until  they  were  immediately  behind  the  prisoners 
when  with  a  sudden  whirl  they  struck,  you  heard  a 
simultaneous  thud  and  then  saw  the  blood  spurt  upward 
as  three  bodies  rose  upright  and  fell  forward,  being 
held  in  place  by  the  crosses.  It  seems  as  if  death  was 
instantaneous.  As  soon  as  the  blows  were  struck  the 
executioners  disappeared  and  then  a  man  came  forward 
with  a  large  knife  and  severed  the  small  piece  of  skin 
that  held  the  heads  to  the  bodies  and  stuck  them  on 
small  bamboo  poles  about  six  feet  high.  The  eyes 
opened  repeatedly  and  the  jaws  closed  and  opened 


140  THE   PEARL  OF  ASIA. 

as  the  blood  ran  out,  the  faces  bleaching  nearly 
white.  It  was  a  horrible  sight.  After  impaling  the 
heads  the  man  in  charge  proceeded  to  cut  off  the  heels 
of  the  dead  bodies  so  as  to  secure  the  chains  around  the 
ankles,  and  then  the  torsos  were  left  on  the  ground  for 
the  dogs  and  vultures  to  feast  on,  but  generally  the 
friends  of  the  doomed  men  wait  till  night  and  bear 
the  bodies  off,  assisted  in  this  by  some  of  the  priests, 
and  convey  them  away  for  the  purpose  of  cremation. 
Executions  are  rare  in  Bangkok,  as  the  prisoners  can 
be  put  to  better  use  than  executing  them ;  it  is  only 
resorted  to  in  such  cases  as  I  have  mentioned  to  act 
as  a  check  on  the  outlawry  that  would  otherwise  exist  in 
a  community  where  money  can  be  used  to  evade  jus- 
tice and  brigandage  thus  go  unpunished.  The  curse 
of  gambling  is  the  cause  of  most  of  the  crimes  in 
Siam,  which  is  mainly  confined  to  petty  stealing  in  the 
cities.  In  the  country  the  outlaws  frequently  band 
together  and  then  they  bid  defiance  to  the  authorities, 
and  when  they  are  arrested  the  officials  fail  to  punish 
them,  if  the  necessary  inducements  are  offered  for 
their  release.  A  reign  of  terror  sometimes  exists  in 
and  around  the  small  towns  in  the  interior.  While  at 
Ratburee  a  Chinaman  told  me  that  he  had  been  for  over 
three  years  endeavoring  to  bring  to  trial  some  scoun- 
drels who  had  entered  his  house  and  assaulted  him, 
killed  his  wife  and  gutted  his  place.  He  had  them 
arrested,  they  were  in  chains  and  working  for  the  gov- 
ernor, and  that  was  the  end  of  it.  They  will  thus 
remain  slaves  till  they  die,  if  they  have  no  one  wealthy 
enough  to  buy  them  off,  and  thus  escape  the 
extreme  penalty  for  their  crime.  Chapters  could  be 
written  on  prison  life  in  this  kingdom,  of  its  untold 


THE   PEARL   OF  ASIA.  141 

horrors,  and  still  the  half  would  not  be  told.  It  is  so 
all  over  the  East,  in  fact  much  worse  in  China,  where 
prisoners  are  subjected  to  all  kind  of  torture  by  their 
jailers  till  the  last  tael  is  extracted  from  them,  starva- 
tion and  thirst  being  the  mildest  means  used.  The 
power  of  the  jailer  is  absolute  and  there  is  no  one  to 
stand  between  him  and  the  code  that  he  lays  down  for 
the  management  of  those  who  are  so  unfortunate  as  to 
fall  into  his  power.  In  Bangkok  the  subject  of  prison 
reform  has  been  agitated  to  some  purpose  by  the 
missionaries  and  others,  and  prisoners  are  now  better 
cared  for,  and  treated  with  more  leniency  than  in  the 
past ;  much  of  this  is  owing  to  the  fact  that  His 
Majesty  is  looking  into  matters  of  this  kind,  having  had 
his  attention  called  to  it. 


XIV. 

PADDY  (RICE)  AND  ITS  CULTIVATION. 

Paddy  or  rice  fields  are  seldom  sown  in  Siam,  the 
plant  is  raised  in  beds  and  then  transplanted.  They 
prepare  the  beds  or  nurseries,  as  they  term  them,  by 
breaking  the  ground  and  harrowing  it  until  it  is  soft, 
and  then  irrigating  it  so  that  when  they  sow  the  seed 
the  bed  is  in  a  semi-fluid  state.  The  seed,  which  has 
been  sprouted,  is  then  sown  so  that  it  will  come  up  as 
thick  as  possible.  This  part  of  the  work  is  always  done 
by  the  women,  during  the  latter  part  of  May  or  early 
in  June.  Being  sprouted  and  sown  in  the  mud  the 
seed  does  not  need  to  be  covered  and  is  called  kla,  the 
sowing  of  it  they  term  tok  kla,  sowing  the  sprouted 
seed.  If  the  water  is  muddy  on  the  bed,  and  the  seed 
is  covered  by  it,  it  will  rot,  but  if  it  is  clear  so  that  the 
sun  can  shine  on  it  it  will  grow.  When  there  is  too 
much  water  on  the  bed  the  women  and  children  bail  it 
out  by  means  of  the  common  well  sweep  and  bucket, 
and  sometimes  by  a  scoop  or  basket  spread  over  with 
pitch  and  attached  to  a  pole;  when  the  patch  needs 
irrigation  they  resort  to  the  same  means  to  throw  the 
water  back  from  the  canal  or  pond  near  by.  The 
plants  are  thus  kept  flourishing  so  as  to  be  transplanted 
at  the  first  favorable  moment,  which  is  generally  dur- 
ing the  heavy  rains  of  June,  August  or  September. 
When  the  plants  are  between  twelve  and  twenty 
inches  in  length  they  are  ready  for  use,  if  less  than 
twelve  inches  they  would  be  liable  to  be  covered  with 

142 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  143 

water,  if  more  than  twenty  inches  they  would  be  top 
heavy  and  fall  down.  The  fields  for  planting  are  pre- 
pared the  same  as  the  nursery  beds,  plowed  and 
harrowed.  When  the  wet  season  has  flooded  the  fields 
and  the  water  is  standing  from  six  to  ten  inches  deep, 
then  the  whole  population  turn  out  and  commence 
transplanting,  called  dam  na,  to  dive  into  the  rice  fields, 
for  they  plunge  the  roots  and  three-fourths  of  the  stalk 
in  the  soft  mud.  Each  transplanter  takes  a  handful  of 
plants  and  wades  into  the  water, then  separating  three  or 
four  stalks  from  the  bunch  he  takes  them  with  the  toes  of 
his  right  foot  and  crowds  the  roots  down  in  the  mud, 
then  he  takes  another  bunch  of  four  stalks  and  plants 
it  about  ten  or  twelve  inches  from  the  other,  measuring 
the  distance  by  his  eye  so  as  to  have  the  plants  about 
a  foot  apart  each  way.  It  is  said  that  a  good  trans- 
planter can  complete  a  lot  of  about  one  third  of  an  acre 
in  a  day.  It  is  indispensable,  after  planting,  to  keep 
the  fields  thoroughly  drenched,  as  the  bost  crops  are 
harvested  from  fields  where  the  water  has  covered  the 
half  of  the  stalk  until  nearly  the  time  when  the  rice  is 
in  ear.  Even  from  that  time  till  harvest,  though  the 
field  should  continue  to  be  inundated,  the  crop  will 
not  necessarily  suffer  unless  the  wind  should  blow  the 
straw  over,  which  seldom  occurs.  Much  of  the  rice  is 
cut  while  standing  a  foot  or  two  in  the  water.  The 
crops  are  precarious  and  liable  to  be  cut  off  by  either 
too  much  or  too  little  water;  also,  by  worms  and  a 
kind  of  land  crab  that  attacks  the  roots  of  the  plant 
and  frequently  make  sad  havoc  in  the  fields.  Hands 
are  employed  for  planting  rice  at  the  rate  of  from 
eight  to  ten  ticals  per  month,  at  times  when  help  is 
scarce  the  farmer  has  to  pay  an  advance  on  this  price. 


144  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

If  employed  by  the  season,  commencing  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  wet  season  in  May  till  threshing  time  in 
December  or  January ,  a  good  hand  receives  one  koyan 
of  paddy,  worth  about  sixty  ticals  or  about  $33.  A 
rie  of  good  soil  will  yield  fifty  buckets  of  paddy,  poorer 
land  less.  The  fields  are  all  taxed  by  the  rie,  one-third 
of  an  acre,  each  field  paying  twenty-eight  cents  per 
annum. 

Eice  is  the  great  staple  of  Siam.  It  has  been  an 
article  of  export  since  1856,  when  the  treaty  with  Siam, 
then  ratified,  opened  up  the  kingdom  to  foreign  trade. 
Prior  to  that  the  laws  of  Siam  required  that  a  three- 
years'  supply  of  rice  should  remain  in  the  country 
before  any  was  allowed  to  be  shipped  abroad.  When 
this  law  was  abolished  a  demand  for  rice  sprung  up, 
and  the  natives,  learning  that  it  was  a  cash  commodity, 
commenced  planting  for  export,  and  yearly  the  acreage 
has  steadily  increased,  thousands  of  Chinamen  engag- 
ing in  the  business.  The  demand  for  land  has  caused 
canals  to  be  opened  through  sections  which  have  lain 
fallow  for  centuries,  and  thousands  of  acres  which  were 
useless  and  breeders  of  malaria,  now  stretch  out  for 
miles  with  fields  of  grain,  billows  of  emerald  blades 
greeting  the  eye  until  lost  in  airy  undulations  on  the 
rim  of  the  horizon.  The  natives  use  the  most  primitive 
appliances  in  the  cultivation  of  their  fields — breaking 
up  the  ground  with  buffaloes  and  oxen  attached  to  a 
wooden  plow — but  the  soil  is  so  prolific  that  the  grain 
grows  almost  spontaneously.  At  times  the  fields 
require  irrigation,  the  water  for  which  is  easily 
obtained  from  the  rivers  and  canals  which  cross  the 
country  in  every  direction.  As  the  land  is  level  the 
water  rises  and  falls  with  the  tide,  hence  the  canals 


THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA.  145 

require  no  locks,  and  are  navigable  for  boats,  which  do 
all  the  carrying,  since  there  are  but  few  wagon  roads 
which  are  traversed  with  buffalo  carts — huge,  unwieldy 
two-wheeled  vehicles. 

The  rice  fields  are  laid  off  in  lots  of  about  one-third 
of  an  acre  each — surrounded  by  an  embankment  of 
earth,  from  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  in  height,  for 
the  purpose  of  holding  water  when  the  land  is  being 
prepared  for  planting  or  irrigation. 

To  encourage  the  natives  to  open  up  new  fields  no 
tax  is  levied  on  the  land  the  first  five  years.  When 
matured  the  grain  is  cut  with  sickles  and  stacked  simi- 
lar to  American  wheat,  and  when  needed  is  tramped 
out  by  buffaloes  and  oxen,  six  or  eight  animals  being 
attached  to  a  post,  around,  which  the  straw  is  strewn, 
and  over  which  the  cattle  tramp  round  and  round  until 
the  grain  is  separated  from  the  straw.  Then  the  straw 
is  piled  up  for  the  cattle  to  eat,  and  the  grain  is  win- 
nowed from  the  chaff  and  dirt  in  a  machine,  a  Chinese 
invention  of  a  thousand  years  ago.  The  rice  for  export — 
KowMoong  and  Kow  Soon — is  brought  to  the  mills  at 
Bangkok  to  be  hulled,  and  then  sacked  for  shipping. 
The  natives  hull  their  rice  for  home  consumption  in 
wooden  mortars  with  wooden  pestles ;  the  latter  they 
work  with  their  feet,  though  many  pound  it  out  by 
hand.  The  first  steam  rice-mill  at  Bangkok  was  estab- 
lished by  an.American  firm,  but  not  finding  it  profit- 
able they  disposed  of  their  plant.  Now  the  preparation 
of  rice  for  market  has  grown  into  a  prosperous  business. 
The  large  crop  last  year  and  the  increased  demand  has 
induced  Messrs.  Markwald  &  Co.  and  others  to  put 
electric  lights  into  their  mills,  so  that  they  can  run 
night  and  day.  There  are  now  twenty-five  steam  rice- 


146  THE    PEAKL    OF   ASIA. 

mills  in  Bangkok,  one  in  course  of  construction,  and 
three  at  Patriew,  a  city  30  miles  west  of  the  capital. 
Most  of  the  mills  are  in  charge  of  foreign  engineers. 
The  only  fuel  used  in  these  mills  is  the  husk  of  the 
rice.  Having  traveled  over  a  considerable  portion  of 
central  Siam,  I  am  satisfied  that  it  has  no  superior  as 
a  rice-producing  and  fruit-growing  country,  and  when 
it  is  opened  up  with  railroads,  and  modern  appliances 
are  used  to  cultivate  the  soil,  the  crops  will  be  quad- 
rupled. 

VARIETIES    OF   BICE. 

1.  Na  Moong,  which  is  sown  broadcast  over  the 
fields  and  allowed  to  mature  without  further  care,  and 
in  a  few  years  yields  its  annual  crop  in  the  form  of 
wild  rice. 

2.  Na  Soon,  or  garden  rice,  is  allowed  to  grow  to  a 
certain  height  and  is  then  transplanted.      This  is  the 
rice  of  commerce,  and  is  the  best  and  highest  priced  of 
all  grades. 

The  unit  of  land  measure  is  the  rie,  almost  identical 
with  the  English  land  unit.  The  average  yield  per  rie 
is  one  (1 )  coyan,  which  contains  20  to  22  piculs,  accord- 
ing to  the  quality  of  the  rice. 

The  freight  by  steamer  to  Europe  ranges  from  33  to 
55  shillings  per  ton.  The  bulk  of  the  Siamese  rice  crop 
is  exported  to  China.  The  present  rate  is  32  cents  per 
picul. 

Good  judges  estimate  the  daily  consumption  of  rice 
by  the  average  Siamese  family  to  be  from  1  to  If 
cocoa-nut  shells,  or  from  1  to  If  English  quarts. 


XV. 

EXCESSIVE  TAXATION  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 

The  King  is  the  collector  and  disburser  of  the  revenue 
of  his  kingdom  and  it  is  impossible  for  any  one  not 
conversant  with  the  internal  affairs  of  Siam  to  know 
what  the  amount  of  the  revenue  is,  as  it  is  derived 
from  various  sources:  First,  imports  and  exports; 
second,  direct  taxation,  which  is  annexed  ;  third,  dona- 
tions to  His  Majesty  and  the  corvee.  This  latter  is 
unlimited,  as  hundreds  of  thousands  have  to  pay  a 
personal  tax  ranging  from  ten  to  twenty  ticals,  and 
then  the  King,  through  his  officials,  has  simply  to 
notify  one  of  his  Governors  that  he  is  in  need  of  some- 
thing and  it  is  forthcoming ;  such,  for  instance,  a  noti- 
fication to  the  Governor  of  Chantaboon  that  he  wanted 
two  hundred  and  forty  logs  of  timber,  fifty  feet  in 
length,  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  premaine,  crema- 
tion building,  which  it  was  expected  that  he  would  do 
at  his  own  expense  or  see  that  his  subordinates  did  so. 
Outside  of  this  it  is  generally  supposed  that  the 
revenue  annually  collected  will  amount  to  about  $10,- 
000,000,  all  of  which  is  unloaded  into  the  King's 
treasury  by  the  various  farmers  who  have  charge  of 
the  various  taxes,  they  having  purchased  the  right  of 
collection,  it  being  sold  to  the  highest  bidder,  thus 
giving  them  and  their  subordinates  an  ample  chance  to 
squeeze  the  people  indiscriminately.  Annexed  is  the 
statement  of  the  annual  levy  and  source  of  revenue  of 
the  Siamese  government : 

147 


148  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.. 

STATEMENT  OF  TAXES  AND  SOURCES  OF  REVENUE  OF  THE  SIAMESE 
GOVERNMENT. 

(1)  Taxes  on  exports; 

Principal  article  of  export,  rice,  on  which  the  duty  is  from 
10  to  12  cents  per  picul. 

(2)  Taxes  on  imports: 

Uniform   rate  of  3  per  cent,   on  the  market  value    of  the 
goods. 

(3)  Taxes  on  cultivated  lands: 

About  60  cents  an  acre. 

(4)  Taxes  on  fruit  trees,  etc.  • 

A  list  of  the  duties  is  given  in  the  treaty.     These  taxes  are 
in  lieu  of  land  tax. 

(5)  The  revenue  derived  from  certain  monopolies  which  are  either  in 

the  hands  of  Government  or  farmed  out  by  them,  viz. : 
Preparation  and  sale  of  opium. 
Manufacture  and  sale  of  spirits. 
Tax  on  gambling-houses. 
The  collection  and  sale  of  edible  birds'  nests. 
The  collection  of  turtles'  eggs. 

The  manufacture  and  sale  of  cakes  and  confectionery. 
The  manufacture  of  iron  pans. 
The  manufacture  of  iron. 
Taxes  on  prostitutes. 

(6)  Taxes  on  houses,  floating  hou-ses,  shops,  godowns,  etc.;  and  on 

boats  employed  in  a  certain  manner,  viz. : 

Ticals. 
Boats  engaged  in  carrying  bricks. .  .per  fathom. . .  1 

Boats  engaged  in  carrying  sand do 1 

Boats  engaged  in  carrying,  tiles. ...... .do 1 

Boats  hawking  miscellaneous  hardware  .do 1 

North  country  boats  bringing  goods  to  Bangkok 

for  sale per  fathom. .  £ 

Boats  moored  with  goods  for  sale,  for  more  than  two 

months,  but  under  twelve  months,  .per  fathom. .  \ 

Boats  moored  with  goods  for  sale,  over  twelve 

months per  fathom . .  1 

Floating  houses: 

With  goods  for  sale per  room. .  1|  to  3 

Used  as  brothels do 3 

Used  as  lottery  stations do 3 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA.  14:9 

Ticals. 

Used  as  gambling-houses per  room. . .  3 

Used  as  liquor  shops do 3 

Those  rented  out do 3 

Houses  godowns,  shops,  etc.,  on  shore,  with  goods  for  sale, 

used  as  brothels,  lottery  stations,  gambling  houses,  or  liquor  shops; 

also  those  rented  out;  if  within  the  district  guarded  by  the  police, 

must  pay  12^  per  cent,  of  their  annual  rental;  if  not  in  the  district 

of  the  police,  must  pay  8£  per  cent,  of  the  rental. 
There  is  also  a  tax  on  fresh  provision  markets. 

(7)  Inland  taxes: 

Ticals. 

White  sugar per  picu.l . .  ^ 

Red  sugar do % 

Peper do 1 

Per  cent. 

Fish  (pla  thoo) 8& 

Teelseed 8% 

Beans 8% 

Petchaboon  tobacco 10 

Silk 8^ 

Beeswax 6% 

Raw  cotton 10 

Paw  (vegetable  fiber) ., 10 

Indigo 10 

Salt  sea-fish 8% 

Smoked  fish 8% 

Fresh  fish 8^ 

Shrimp  paste 10 

Charcoal 10 

Posts  (wood) '. 10 

Cocoanut  oil 10 

Red  and  white  lime 10 

Palm  sugar. 10 

Molasses 8% 

Tin 10 

Fire  wood 20 

Attap 10 

Kacheng 10 

Torches 10 

Kesin. .  10 


150  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

Per  cent. 

Oil  of  fang  tree 10 

Rattans 10 

Bamboos 10 

Redwood 10 

Ticals. 

Onions  and  chilils per  picul . .       10 

Hemp  (for  sails) do 10 

Vegetables do 5 

Pork do....        8% 

Fowls do 8% 

Ducks do 8}£ 

Eggs  of  fowls  or  ducks do S% 

Per  cent. 

Blackwood . 10 

Mai  Takean  wood 10 

Wood  called  Mai  Phya  Loi 10 

Ticals. 
Salt (per  coyan,  or  T3ff  per  cent,  per  pieul.). .        6 

per  cent. 

Teakwood 10 

Tobacco 10 

(8)  Taxes  on  implements  used  for  catching  fish  in  salt  or  fresh  water: 

Ticals. 
Rafts,   in  line,  to  which  nets  are  attached,    for  each 

aperture 4 

Boats  with  large  net per  annum. .       10 

Boats  with  smaller  net do 6 

Boats  with  small  net do 1 

Boats  with  dragging  net do. ...       10 

Large  round  net  streched  on  crossed  bamboos  with  handle 

attached,  per  fathom 1% 

Spoon-net,  with  wider  mouth  than  10  cubits . .  per  annum. .        2 

A  boat  with  big  spoon  net do % 

A  boat  with  small  spoon  net do % 

Basket  used  for  catching  fish  in  shallow  water do % 

Net  for  the  fish  "Ta  phien" per  annum. .         1 

Harpoon  or  spear do. ...          % 

"Laup"  a  long  trap  or  basket do \% 

A  string  of  hooks do % 

Each  line  for  chawn  or  kado-fish do 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA.  151 

Ticals. 

Small  net  stretched  on  two  sticks per  annum  y^ 

Scoop  made  of  split  bamboo do J£ 

Other  snares,  from do J£  to  ^ 

Beds  of  water-plants  in  front  of  houses  for  attracting 

fishes,  per  fathom ig 

Fish  pools per  fathom. .  J£ 

The  following  are  used  in  salt  water : 

Fishing  stakes,  disposed  in  a  circle per  annum. .  6 

Fishing  stakes,  disposed  in  a  circle do 12 

Fishing    stakes,     in    triangular    form,    with    net     at 

apex per  annum . .  3 

One  boat  with  hooks  for  dragging do 2% 

Fence  for  confining  shrimps do 1% 

Casting  net do. ...  1 

Spoon  net  for  shrimps  and  prawns do % 

Fishing  stakes do 10 

A  large  fishing  boat do 6 

A  very  large  net  used  by  very  many  men do 12 

Boat  for  catching  "pla  kuraw" do. ...  4 

"Lamoo"  a  large  inclosure  of  bamboo do. : . .  6 

"Lamoo"  for  deeper  water do. ...  20 

Close  bamboo  fence do 12 

Close  bamboo  fence  for  deeper  water. do 16 

A  kind  of  fishing  net do 16 

Net  for  shrimps do 20 

Net  for  beche  de  mer do 24 

Spears  for  beche  de  mer do 4 

Harpoon  for  turtle do 8 

Plank  for  sliding  over  the  mud do ^ 

Hook  and  line .do M  to  /^ 

(9)  The  revenue    derived    from    money   paid  in  commutation  of 
Government  service,  to  which  all  adult  males  are  liable,  to  which 
may  be  added  the  services  performed  by  cowee. 

(10)  The  revenue  derived  from  a  poll-tax  of  4J^  ticals  on  Chinese 
every  third  year. 

(11)  Taxes  are  also  levied  on  theatrical  representations  and  plays  of 
various  kinds. 

Ticals. 

Drama  of  •  'Rama  Kien" per  diem . .      28 

Drama  of  "Anirut. .  .  .do. .          12 


152  THE   PEAEL   OF  ASIA. 

Ticals 

Theatrical  representation  "Nang" each  night. .         ^£ 

Chinese  theater per  diem. .        2 

Chinese  puppet  show do 1 

Drama  "In  Henao" do 20 

Dramas,  various  kinds do 2 

Singing do >£ 

Chinese  theater  (special) do 4 

NOTE.— A  picul,  133  X  pounds  avoirdupois ;  a  Siamese  tical,  60  cents. 


XVI. 

THE  KING'S  INSTRUCTIONS  TO  HIS  SON. 

Several  years  since  His  Majesty  concluded  to  send 
several  of  his  sons  to  England,  for  the  purpose  of  hav- 
ing them  educated  at  Cambridge  and  Oxford,  but 
before  doing  so  prepared  a  series  of  instructions  for 
their  guidance  while  in  that  far-off  land,  which  are 
worthy  of  perpetuation  as  coming  not  only  from  a 
monarch,  but  a  father  who  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  his  children.  The  following  is  a  correct 
translation: 

"I  desire  to  put  my  wishes  in  a  form  of  written  instructions  for 
the  guidance  of  my  children  who  are  being  sent  to  receive  their  edu- 
cation in  Europe,  and  I  beg  to  enjoin  upon  them  that  they  shall 
follow  the  instructions  herein  given. 

"First.  My  object  in  sending  you  is  that  you  may  obtain  an 
education,  and  I  have  no  desire  to  obtain  renown  and  honor  for 
you  while  pursuing  your  studies;  and  for  this  reason  you  may  not 
assume  the  rank  and  title  of  Princes,  but  must  assume  the  position 
of  the  son  of  persons  of  rank  in  Siam,  namely,  you  may  not  use  the 
title  of '  His  Royal  Highness'  prefixed  to  your  names,  but  shall 
employ  only  your  own  personal  names.  If  others  shall  prefix  to  your 
names  the  title  of  Mr.  or  add  Esquire,  according  to  English  custom, 
let  them  do  so  without  objection,  but  you  must  not  use  the  Siamese 
prefix  Nai,  which  is  often  used  as  a  prefix  to  their  names  when  pro- 
nounced in  English  by  sons  of  noblemen,  as  corresponding  to  the 
title  of  Mr. ,  as  this  has  a  disagreeable  sound.  To  explain  my  wishes 
in  regard  to  this  matter  plainly,  the  reason  why  I  do  not  wish  you 
to  assume  the  title  and  rank  of  Princes  as  your  uncles  did  who  have 
preceded  you  are  as  follows;  My  wish  does  not  arise  from  want  of 
affection  towards  you  or  from  a  wish  to  prevent  its  being  known 
that  you  are  my  children.  Your  father  will  certainly  recog- 
nize you  as  his  children,  and  will  cherish  his  affection  for  you  as  it 

153 


154  THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

is  natural  for  a  father  always  to  love  his  children,  but  I  consider 
that  it  will  not  be  of  any  benefit  for  you  to  assume  the  title  of  Princes 
because  there  are  few  Princes  in  their  country,  and  in  our  coun- 
try there  are  many  ;  and  because  they  have  but  few  Princes,  they 
laud  and  honor  them  much  more  than  we  do,  and  if  on  our  own 
part  we  should  put  ourselves  on  an  equal  footing  with  them, 
whereas  we  have  not  wealth  and  dignity  equal  to  theirs,  we  should 
suffer  in  comparison  and  should  make  Siamese  Princes  appeal- 
inferior.  Also,  if  we  assume  the  rank  of  Princes  we  must  keep  up 
a  dignity  in  all  things  that  we  do  for  the  sake  of  appearance,  and  to 
make  others  admire  us,  and  we  must  therefore  be  constantly  on  our 
guard.  Even  in  purchasing  anything  a  higher  price  must  be  paid 
than  common  people  pay,  because  they  consider  us  wealthy,  and 
thus  a  useless  expense  is  occasioned.  Whether  princes  or  common 
people,  when  in  a  foreign  country,  one  has  no  power  to  make  one 
more  illustrious  than  the  common  people,  and  the  only  advantage 
Princes  have  is  that  they  can  enter  assemblies  of  distinguished  per- 
sons, but  the  sons  of  the  people  of  rank  will  likewise  be  admitted  to 
the  same  privileges  enjoyed  by  Princes  as  regards  society.  For  these 
reasons,  I  direct  that  you  will  not  boast  or  allow  any  of  your  attend- 
ants to  boast  that  you  are  Royal  Princes,  and  I  desire  you  to  follow 
out  these  instructions. 

"2d.  All  the  expenses  of  your  education,  including  board  and 
clothing,  will  be  paid  out  of  my  privy  purse,  viz.,  the  funds  which 
are  your  father's  private  property  and  not  funds  used  for  defraying 
the  ordinary  expenses  of  the  State.  Thii  fund  will  be  deposited  in 
the  banks,  and  instructions  will  be  sent  to  my  minister  to  defray 
the  expenses  of  your  education  out  of  this  fund,  namely  :  For  the 
first  five  years'  education  each  of  you  will  receive  £320  a  year  or 
£1,600  for  the  five  years,  and  for  the  succeeding  five  years  you  will  be 
allowed  £400  a  year,  or  £2,000  for  the  five  years,  making  your 
complete  education  £3,600  each.  As  this  fund  will  be  deposited  in 
the  banks  bearing  interest,  there  will  be  a  surplus  over  and  above 
your  educational  expenses,  which  will  be  yours  and  can  be  used  in 
whatever  manner  you  please.  The  portion  of  each  will  be  depos- 
ited in  his  own  name,  but  before  attaining  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years  you  will  not  be  allowed  to  draw  money  on  your  own  account 
and  a  person  must  be  appointed  to  attend  to  this  business  for  you. 
The  amount  deposited  and  the  name  of  the  persons  managing  your 
business  are  given  in  separate  instructions,  which  you  will  have  to 
use  in  obtaining  the  money  when  needed. 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  155 

"  I  have  considered  it  best  to  use  my  private  funds  and  not  the 
funds  of  the  State,  as  has  been  done  in  the  case  of  Princes  and  sons 
of  the  nobility  heretofore.  This  opportunity  and  appropriation  of 
funds  for  your  education  is  a  rich  legacy  of  more  value  than  money, 
for  an  education  is  of  lasting  and  personal  value  and  nothing  can 
harm  it  or  take  it  away  from  you.  It  is  my  intention  to  send  all 
my  sons  to  receive  the  advantages  of  an  education  whether  they  are 
of  quick  intellect  or  dull,  so  far  as  opportunity  shall  offer,  deeming 
it  as  an  inheritance  which  I  am  giving  to  each  of  my  children. 

"If  I  should  use  funds  belonging  to  the  State  for  this  purpose, 
and  it  should  turn  out  that  this  money  was  spent  upon  a  person 
devoid  of  wisdom  and  who  upon  his  return  would  do  nothing  to 
repay  the  State  for  the  money  expended  upon  him,  it  would  give 
occasion  to  a  certain  class  of  people  to  find  fault,  and  they  might  say 
that  I  had  too  many  children  and  was  obliged  to  draw  large  sums  of 
money  from  the  funds  of  the  State  for  their  educational  expenses, 
and  that  I  did  not  even  make  a  selection  of  such  as  had  ability  and 
would  prove  of  benefit  to  the  State,  but  sent  even  the  stupid  and 
ignorant  simply  because  they  were  my  children  and  wasted  money 
on  them.  I  desire  that  there  shall  not  be  any  derogatory  remarks 
made  in  connection  with  my  purpose  to  give  my  children  these 
educational  advantages,  and  have  not,  therefore,  used  any  of  the 
funds  belonging  to  the  State  for  this  purpose.  But  even  the  funds 
in  my  privy  purse  are  in  a  certain  sense  the  property  of  the  State  and 
they  are  simply  a  portion  which  is  set  apart  for  your  father's  private 
use,  and  the  purposes  to  which  these  funds  are  applied  are  charity 
and  the  maintenance  and  support  of  the  family.  I  consider  that  the 
advantages  of  an  education  are  of  more  value  than  other  things  and 
this  use  of  money  will  be  indirectly  a  benefit  to  the  State,  for  the  funds 
of  the  treasury  of  the  State  are  not  drawn  upon  for  this  purpose, 
and  by  this  is  avoided  the  various  derogatory  remarks  which  might 
be  made,  for  the  reason  that  your  father  uses  his  private  funds  for 
this  purpose  and  no  one  can  say  that  the  money  should  be  used  for 
this  or  that  purpose. 

' '  3d.  You  will  ever  remember  that  although  you  are  born  princes 
and  have  dignity  and  honor  thereby,  yet  it  is  not  necessary  that  any 
person  who  may  be  the  sovereign  of  this  country  will  require  your 
services  for  the  State,  and  thus  offer  an  opportunity  for  you  to  obtain 
honor  and  wealth  for  yourselves. 

"If  the  past  be  considered  ^it  will  be  found  that  there  are  less 
opportunities  for  princes  to  receive  positions  of  trust  and  influence 


156  THE   PEARL   OF  ASIA. 

than  for  the  sons  of  the  nobility;  for  the  reason  that  they  having  rank 
and  honor  by  birth,  can  not  accept  inferior  positions  as  stepping 
stones  to  something  greater,  for  example,  they  can  not  become  Nai 
Rong  or  Hum  Preh  or  Royal  Pages  and  they  can  not  be  appointed 
to  such  positions  as  would  be  in  keeping  with  their  rank  without 
first  having  obtained  experience  and  wisdom  fitting  them  for  such 
positions.  For  this  reason  a 'prince  who  shall  become  noted  and 
receive  an  elevated  appointment  can  do  so  only  when  he  Is  pos- 
sessed of  superior  abilities.  Therefore  you  are  urged  to  pursue 
your  studies  with  the  greatest  possible  earnestness  and  faithfulness 
so  that  you  may  have  an  opportunity  to  do  something  which  will  be 
a  benefit  to  your  country  and  to  the  world  in  which  you  live.  To 
consider  that  being  born  princes  it. is- better  to  remain  quiet  and 
enjoy  yourselves  through  life  is  not  very  different  from  the.  lower 
animals  which  are  born,  eat,  sleep  and  die»  But  some  animals  have 
hides,  and  horns  and  bones,  which  remain  and  are  of  benefit  after 
they  die,  but  people  who  conduct  themselves  like  animals  are  not  of 
as  much  use  as  certain  animals  even.  For  this  reason  make  an 
effort  to  gain  an  education,  which  will  enable  you  to  make  yourselves 
better  than  the  lower  animals  and  thus  you  will  be  considered  as 
having  repaid  your  father's  affection  and  efforts  for  your  benefit  and 
the  care  which  has  been  expended  upon  you  from  your  birth. 

"  4th.  Do  not  consider  that,  because  you  are  the  sons  of  a  king 
and  your  father  is  all  powerful  in  his  country,  that  you  can  there 
fore  be  unruly  and  obstinate,  and  need  to  fear  no  one  and  can  mis- 
use and  abuse  others  and  they,  will  make  no  complaint  or  resistance. 
This  is  entirely  wrong.  Your  father's  desire  is  that  his  sons  shall 
not  have  any  such  power  to  be  unruly,  as  he  feels  certain  that  a 
misapplied  affection  to  one's  children,  which  allows  them  to  fear  no 
one,  will  be  injurious  to  them  in  the  present  and  future.  For  this 
reason  you  must  remember  that  whenever  you  do  wrong,  you  must 
suffer  the  consequent  punishment,  and  the  fact  that  your  father  is  a 
king  will  not  save  you  from  such  punishment.  Again,  the  life  of  a 
man  is  of  short  duration  and  is  not  as  enduring  as  iron  or  stone, 
and  although  now  you  have  a  father  living,  the  time  will  certainly 
come  when  you  will  be  without  him.  If  you  do  wrong  while  your 
father  is  living,  even  if  you  are  able  to  cover  it  up  for  a  time,  after, 
your  father  is  gone,  your  faults  will  appear  to  your  disadvantage 
and  will  follow  you  as  a  shadow.  Therefore  you  must  be  teachable 
and  not  headstrong,  you  must  always  endeavor  to  do  right  and 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  157 

avoid  that  which  you  know  yourself  to  be  wrong,  or  which  you  are 
taught  is  wropg  by  others. 

"  5th.  The  funds  provided  for  your  expenses,  you  must  econo- 
mize, and.  you  must  not  be  prodigal  and  extravagant,  believing  your- 
selves to  be  rice  princes,  or  that  your  father  is  a  king  and  has  plenty 
of  money.  I  warn  you  from  the  beginning,  that  if  any  one  of  you 
shall  return  in  debt,  such  debts  shall  not  be  paid  for  you,  or  if  it 
shall  be  necessary  to  pay  them,  you  will  not  escape  punishment, 
you  may  know  that  whenever  your  debts  have  to  be  paid,  you  must 
receive  punishment.  Do  not  believe  anything  said  to  the  contrary 
or  fancy  that  you  can  be  extravagant. as  some  who  have  pieeeded 
you  whose  fathers  were  noblemen  and  who  have  paid  their  debts 
without  objection.  If  you  have  this  idea  you  are  entirely  wrong. 
Your  father  does  indeed  love  his  children,  but  he  does  not  love  such 
conduct  in  his  children,  for  he  certainly  knows  that  if  he  should 
allow  you  to  do  so,  it  would  be  of  no  possible  benefit  to  the  children 
who  receive  his  love,  as  you  would  not  in  that  case  receive  the  edu- 
cation, which  I  desire  you  to  obtain,  but  would  gain  only  practices 
which  would  disgrace  you  and. give  continual  annoyance  to  others. 
You  must  always  rt  member  that  this  money  which  seems  a  large 
amount  to  you  now,  is  not  as  easily  obtained  as  as  it  is  expended. 
The  yearly  portion  which  you  always  receive  comes  to  you  through 
your  father,  and  the  money  which  your  father  receives  is  that 
which  comes  to  him  as  being  the  ruler  and  sovereign  of  the  country, 
and  is  the  contribution  of  the  people  for  the  support  of  their  sover- 
eign, that  he  may  enjoy  it  with  happiness,  as  a  recompense  for  his 
labors  in  this  exalted  position,  namely  that  of  the  guardian  of  their 
welfare.  This  money  should  not  be  spent  for  useless  and  injurious 
purposes  and  should  only  be  employed  for  objects  which  will  be  of 
real  benefit  to  one's  self  and  to  others.  Is  it  fitting  to  pay  it  away 
for  the  debts  of  one's  children  who  have  squandered  money  in  evil 
practices  ?  For  this  reason  I  must  declare  that  I  will  not  pay  your 
debts,  and  if  I  am  compelled  to  do  so  there  must  be  a  penalty  which 
will  serve  as  a  guarantee  that  I  shall  not  be  obliged  to  do  so  again  ; 
the  penalty  must  be  sufficient  to  cause  such  a  one  to  avoid  a  repe- 
tition of  such  actions,  then  only  will  the  debt  be  paid,  and  it  will 
only  be  done  for  the  sake  of  preventing  loss  to  the  creditor,  and  not 
out  of  love  for  the  child  or  pleasure  in  his  conduct,  therefore  you 
will  remember  and  consider  that  you  are  po<  r  and  have  only  suffi- 
cient means  to  support  yourselves  comfortably  and  are  not  rich  as 
the  wealthy  in  Europe.  Persons  of  wealth  in  Europe  have  inherited 


158  THE   PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

it  from  generation  to  generation  and  receive  rent  and  interest  from 
various  sources,  but  you  receive  a  certain  sum  from  the  people 
sufficient  for  your  support  and  keeping  up  your  dignity.  Do  not 
be  ostentatious  and  try  to  imitate  them,  and  to  make  a  vain  dis- 
play. 

"  When  you  have  contracted  debts  and  you  fear  your  father  will 
not  pay  them,  or  in  case  he  does,  he  will  impose  a  penalty,  do  not 
think  you  can  use  the  annual  allowance  which  is  laid  by  for  you 
and  accumulating  while  you  are  abroad,  to  pay  such  debts.  If  you 
should  think  so  and  therefore  contract  debts  while  abroad  it  will  be 
likewise  wrong  for  all  the  advantages  which  you  enjoy  while  your 
father  lives,  or  which  may  continue  after  he  has  passed  away,  you 
can  not  say  that  they  will  remain  always  the  same,  and  as  you  grow 
older  you  will  have  families  to  provide  for  and  will  need  money  for 
your  support,  and  possibly  your  income  may  not  be  sufficient  for 
your  expenditures.  You  can  not  be  sure  that  your  education  will 
give  you  positions  of  influence  and  remuneration  equal  to  your 
wants,  for  the  reason  that  the  fact  of  your  being  princes  may  possi- 
bly at  some  future  time,  be  a  barrier  to  your  holding  office,  and  if 
you  should  turn  to  business  pursuits  such  as  receiving  employment 
as  clerks,  etc.,  there  will  still  be  difficulties  in  consequence  of  your 
being  princes.  If  your  capital  is  all  spent  in  the  payment  of  debts 
where  will  you  then  find  your  support?  Therefore  I  say  if  you 
think  of  spending  such  funds  as  these  so  as  not  to  annoy  your 
father  it  will  still  be  the  cause  of  future  difficulties  and  embarrass- 
ments which  you  ought  not  to  bring  upon  yourselvss. 

"6th.  The  education  which  you  are  to  receive  will  consist  of 
the  acquiring  the  fluent  and  accurate  use  of  three  languages, 
English,  German  and  French,  so  that  you  will  be  able  to  compose 
in  at  least  two  of  these  languages.  Also  that  you  must  acquire  a 
practical  knowledge  of  mathematics.  These  two  branches  you 
must  acquire  with  proficiency,  for  they  are  the  foundation  of  all 
other  studies.  Next  to  these  you  must  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the 
sciences  and  arts,  but  I  can  not  now  decide  upon  the  exact  course 
of  study  which  you  are  to  pursue.  This  will  be  decided  upon 
after  you  have  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  primary  branches.  I 
wish,  however,  to  impress  it  upon  your  minds  that  in  sending  you 
to  acquire  a  European  education,  I  do  not  wish  that  you  shall  pos- 
sess only  a  knowledge  of  European  languages  and  sciences.  The 
Siamese,  which  is  your  own  native  language,  you  will  have  occasion 
to  make  use  of  always,  and  you  must  consider  that  the  European 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  159 

languages  are  to  be  the  foundation  of  your  knowledge,  because 
Siamese  books  are  few  and  old,  for  the  reason  that  there  has  been 
little  intercourse  with  foreign  countries,  which  is  different  from 
what  has  been  the  case  in  Europe,  where  by  the  constant  inter- 
course and  interchange  of  ideas,  great  advance  has  been  made  in 
knowledge.  For  this  reason,  there  can  not  be  sufficient  knowledge 
obtained  from  Siamese  books,  and  therefore  it  is  necessary  to  study 
foreign  languages  so  as  to  obtain  a  larger  field  of  knowledge  and 
then  this  knowledge  can  be  introduced  into  the  Siamese  language. 
Therefore  it  is  not  at  all  wise  or  suitable  for  you  to  forget  your  own 
language  so  that  you  can  not  express  yourselves  properly,  or  forget 
how  to  write  the  Siamese  language.  If  you  acquire  a  knowledge 
of  foreign  languages  only,  and  cannot  read  and  write  and  translate 
into  the  Siamese  language  correctly,  it  will  be  of  no  practical  advan- 
tage, because  in  this  case  we  can  employ  as  many  foreigners  as  we 
wish. 

"  What  is  wanted  is  that  you  shall  be  able  to  translate  from  the 
Siamese  language  into  a  European  language,  and  from  one  or  more 
European  languages  into  Siamese  ;  thus  only  will  your  education  be 
complete.  Do  not  consider  that  having  studied  foreign  languages 
and  forgotten  your  own  it  will  make  you  appear  highly  fashionable, 
as  some  students  have  wrongly  supposed.  While  you  are  pursuing 
your  studies  I  wish  each  of  you  to  write  a  letter  to  your  father  at 
least  once  a  month  in  Siamese,  until  you  can  write  English  or  some 
other  European  language,  after  which  you  must  write  in  English,  or 
some  other  language  besides  Siamese,  and  send  also  a  translation  in 
Siamese,  because  you  are  still  young  and  your  knowledge  of  Siamese 
is  not  yet  permanently  fixed.  You  will  therefore  consult  your 
Siamese  teachers  who  accompany  you  or  search  in  your  Siamese 
text  books  with  which  you  are  provided,  and  you  will  thus  find  suit- 
able language  in  which  to  express  yourselves  in  translating  from 
a  foreign  language  into  Siamese.  The  Siamese  books  which  can  be 
of  help  to  you  are  still  very  few,  it  is  true.  Whatever  mistakes  arc 
made  in  these  letters  will  be  corrected,  and  these  corrections  be  sent 
to  you  and  you  must  remember  these  mistakes  and  avoid  them  in 
future.  Do  not  be  afraid  or  ashamed,  but  do  the  best  you  can,  and 
if  you  make  such  mistakes  they  will  be  corrected,  and  you  will  not 
lose  or  suffer  anything  by  it. 

"7th.  You  must  remember  that  the  education  of  all  my  children 
is  entrusted  to  your  uncle,  Krom  Mun  Devawongse  Varoprakann, 
who  has  solemnly  promised  me  to  do  his  best  during  the  present  and 


160  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

future  to  attain  the  best  possible  results,  and  I  have  confidence  in 
him  and  have  given  him  full  authority  to  manage  all  matters  here 
in  connection  with  your  education. 

"  If  you  have  any  difficulties  or  business  of  any  kind,  you  must 
write  to  him,  and  your  father  will  know  of  it  through  him. 

"  Krom  Mun  Devawongee  will  manage  everything  and  bring  it 
to  a  successful  accomplishment.  In  Europe,  if  you  are  in  a  country 
where  I  have  a  minister,  this  minister  will  arrange  your  affairs  for 
you,  and  whatever  difficulties  you  may  experience  you  must  tell 
them  to  the  minister  and  he  will  help  you. 

' '  When  you  enter  school  you  must  follow  the  rules,  and  must 
not  be  headstrong  or  obstinate.  Be  industrious  and  studious,  that 
you  may  return  and  be  a  help  and  a  blessing  to  your  father,  and 
thus  repay  him  for  his  love." 


XVII. 

FUNERAL  OF  A  CHINESE  MANDARIN. 

A  novel  sight  is  frequently  witnessed  in  Bangkok,  con- 
veying the  remains  of  a  mandarin  from  his  residence  to 
one  of  the  Hong  Kong  steamers,  so  that  it  can  be  trans- 
ported to  the  home  of  his  nativity  and  buried  beside 
his  parents.  The  boat  that  contains  the  coffin  is  filled 
with  friends  and  relatives,  all  dressed  in  white,  that 
being  the  color  of  their  mourning  garments,  this  is 
accompanied  by  other  boats  decorated  and  containing 
musicians,  priests  and  others  making  quite  a  display. 
The  beating  of  gongs  and  blowing  of  horns  announce 
that  the  flotilla  is  coming,  generally  five  or  six  boats, 
that  containing  the  corpse  in  the  lead.  The  body  is 
encased  in  a  handsome  coffin  covered  with  gilding  and 
elaborately  carved,  more  like  an  ornamented  chest 
than  a  coffin,  and  on  it  is  fastened  a  beautiful  white 
bantam  rooster ;  over  the  casket  is  suspended  a  pavilion 
and  above  it  two  blue  banners  and  two  large  blue  lan- 
terns with  other  decorations.  As  soon  as  the  steamer 
is  reached  the  casket  is  placed  in  the  hold  with  the 
rooster  still  on  it,  and  by  the  time  the  vessel  reaches  its 
destination  the  doomed  bird  has  also  gone  out  into  the 
unknown  with  the  spirit  of  the  son  of  the  celestial.  I 
failed  to  learn  why  a  rooster  was  thus  sacrificed, 
though  it  is  supposed  that  the  purity  of  the  white  bird 
might  aid  in  blotting  out  some  of  the  sins  of  the 
deceased  or  possibly  his  spirit  would  seek  it  as  a  taber- 

161 


162  THE   PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

nacle  to  dwell  in  during  his  transmigrations.  It  is  a 
curious  custom  of  this  curious  people. 

At  times  the  passing  of  a  funeral  flotilla  is  quite  a 
gorgeous  pageant;  the  weird  music,  lov.d  sounding 
gongs,  the  beating  of  torn  toms  and  shrill  notes  of  the 
flute,  the  measured  dip  of  oars  and  fluttering  of  flags 
of  various  colors,  fringed  with  gold  and  silver,  furnish 
the  spectator  with  a  panorama  of  oriental  splendor 
that  remains  indellibly  photographed  on  the  margent 
of  memory.  The  remains  of  a  Chinese  mandarin  lies 
in  state  about  one  hundred  days,  during  which  time 
bonzes,  or  priests,  pray  for  the  soul  of  the  departed 
singers  chaunt  their  native  hymns  and  songs,  theatri- 
cal performances  are  held  and  clowns  perform  all  kinds 
of  antics  to  drive  away  the  gloom  and  sorrow  of 
the  family,  to  make  them  forget  their  loss,  they  also 
think  this  pleases  the  spirit  of  the  dead  who  is  supposed 
to  be  hovering  around  to  see  what  disposition  is  being 
made  of  his  earthly  casket.  During  this  time  lamps 
are  constantly  burning  to  drive  away  evil  spirits 
and  a  feast  spread  for  their  entertainment  while  the 
priests  in  attendance  and  the  family  are  regaled  with 
choice  viands  and  feasted  sumptuously. 

As  their  religion  makes  them  fatalists  they  do  not 
seem  to  grieve  much  on  account  of  the  death  of  a  rela- 
tive, but  they  leave  nothing  undone  for  the  care  and 
sepulcherof  the  dead  ;  they  see  that  his  debts  are  paid, 
his  family  properly  cared  for  and  his  grave  located  in 
a  pleasant  place  where  the  sunshine  can  fall  upon  it  and 
face  a  running  stream  of  water,  or  the  wide  expanse  of 
gulf  or  ocean.  Their  tombs  or  vaults  are  built  in  the 
shape  of  a  horse  shoe  and  present  quite  a  curious  ap- 
pearance, as  they  are  arranged  in  rows.  Frequently 


THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA.  163 

the  graveyard  is  located  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  which  is 
terraced  for  the  purpose.  That  at  Hong  Kong  is  one 
of  the  curiosities  of  the  place  while  the  cemetery  at 
Canton  covers  many  acres  and  is  closely  filled  with 
their  tombs. 

Modern  skeptics  could  learn  much  from  these  stoical 
Asiatics  who  thus  care  for  the  bodies  of  their  deceased 
relatives,  which  proves  conclusively  that  their  belief  in 
the  beatitude  of  the  life  to  come  is  serious  and  well 
founded,  that  they  will  live  again  in  the  hereafter  and 
meet  beyond  the  invisible  river  in  the  celestial  Nir- 
vana, a  reunion  that  shall  be  eternal, where  the  heavenly 
savannahs  undulating  far  away  shall  yield  the 
choicest  rice,  the  waters  that  flow  through  emerald 
vales  be  plethoric  with  fish,  umbrageous  trees  that 
furnish  shade  bend  to  the  earth  with  choicest  fruit, 
birds  of  rarest  plumage  fill  the  groves  with  melody.and 
demoselles,  fairer  than  the  blush  of  morn,  welcome  them 
to  joys  supernal,  a  land  of  dreamy  wantonness  that 
they  have  caught  glimpses  of  after  inhaling  the 
poppies  languorous  power,  the  curse  of  the  mongolian. 


XVIII. 

ROYAL  PALACES  AT  BANG-PA-UsT  AND 
KATBUEEE. 

Siam  is  a  land  of  legends  that  run  back  into  the 
storied  past,  when  an  almost  unknown  civilization 
flourished  ere  its  present  religion,  from  a  faint  spark 
was  blown  into  a  blaze  by  the  saintly  Gautama,  the 
Buddha  of  the  East,  whose  myriads  of  followers  have 
reared  their  temples  on  mount  and  in  emerald  vales 
and  beside  flowing  rivers,  whose  white  walls  and  gilt 
spires  dot  the  landscape  far  arid  wide  and  from  their 
cloistered  halls  can  be  heard  at  early  morn  the  beat  of 
drums  and  the  clangor  of  bells  summoning  the  faithful 
to  prayer,  or  to  listen  to  the  reading  of  the  sacred  works 
of  the  great  teacher,  whose  statues  are  held  in  special 
reverence  by  the  Buddhist,  as  do  many  of  our  people  the 
cross,  merely  symbols  of  their  belief,  no  one  regarding 
Buddha  as  a  divinity,  solely  a  great  teacher  who  incull 
cated  charity,  morality  and  benevolence  to  the  fullest 
extent,  the  genesis  of  Buddhist  belief  to-day  as  it  was  for 
centuries  before  the  son  of  Mary  proclaimed  his 
divine  truths  on  Olivet,  and  gave  us  his  universal  prayer 
that  has  been  a  solace  to  the  seeker  after  truth  for 
nineteen  centuries.  Such  was  my  thoughts  as  I  sped 
past  many  beautiful  wats  on  my  way  up  the  Menam 
to  Bang-Pa-In,  the  king's  summer  palace,  which  is 
considered  the  handsomest  place  in  the  kingdom.  The 
palace  is  built  in  semi-oriental  style  and  surrounded 
with  spacious  grounds  laid  out  in  the  most  elaborate 

164 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  105 

manner  and  skill,  under  the  charge  of  an  experienced 
Swiss  landscape  gardner,  filled  with  all  the  flowers  the 
orient  can  boast  of,  a  wealth  of  floral  beauty,  paths 
winding  in   serpentine   sinuosity  in   every  direction, 
skirting  miniature  lakes  on  whose  placid  waters  float 
mammoth   Victoria  reginas    and  the  fragrant  lotus, 
mirroring    a  number  of  buildings    nestled  on   their 
margins,  set  apart  as  the  habitations  of  favorite  Queens, 
the  main   building   being  reserved  for  his  Majesty, 
through  which  we  were  shown  by  his  retainers,  he 
being  absent,  and  it  was  well  worth  the  visit.    It  is 
such  a  spot  as  Bulwer  describes,  when  he  pictures  a 
palace  by  the  lake  of  Como,  "  lifting  to  eternal  summer 
its  marble  walls  from  out  a  grove  of  greenest  foliage 
musical    with    birds.  "        The    palace  is  built  in  the 
modern    style,    by  an  Italian  architect,  of  brick  and 
stuccoed  white,  its  interior  panneled  with  padoo,  ebony 
and  other  rare  woods  of  the  kingdom,  the  hard  wood 
polished  like  a  mirror  bringing  out  the  fine  grain,  the 
ceilings  are  lofty  and  laid  off  in  handsome  designs  and 
elaborately  gilded,  the  floors  a  mosaic  of  many  kinds 
of  wood  and  highty  polished,  each  room  different  and 
furnished  according  to  the  finish.     The  broad  flight  of 
stairs  that  lead  to  the  upper  story,  the  King's  sleeping 
apartments,  were  the  most  elaborate  and  handsomest 
that  I  have  ever  seen,  the  carving  being  most  artisti- 
cally  executed,  in  keeping   with  the  entire  building, 
large  mirrors,  tapestry,  and  handsome  pictures  graced 
the  walls  on  every  side. 

The  King's  chamber,  bath  and  toilet  rooms  were 
magnificent  and  his  couch  a  thing  of  beauty.  It  was 
made  of  ebony  und  carved  with  the  most  exquisite 
designs,  draped  with  rare  lace  curtains  trimmed  with 


166  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

gold,  a  gold  embroidered  quilt  covering  the  mattress, 
the  pillows  and  bolster  trimmed  with  gold  lace  and  it 
looked  more  like  a  work  of  art,  to  please  the  eye,  than 
the  resting  place  of  one  who  wears  a  crown  and  sways 
the  destiny  of  ten  million  people.  Each  room  was  fur- 
nished in  the  richest  manner  many  containing  rare 
padoo  tables,  handsome  cabinets,  crystal  and  alabaster 
vases,  etc.  It  was  just  such  a  place  as  one  tired  with 
pomp  and  power  could  spend  a  month  most  pleasantly 
in,  in  oriental  ease,  waited  on  by  jewelled  Queens  and 
servile  servitors,  lulled  to  slumber  by  the  fragrant 
breath  of  the  lotus  and  the  carrolling  of  birds  amid  the 
hush  of  the  golden  afternoon.  In  the  center  of  several 
of  the  lakes  pavilions  have  been  erected  where  a 
band  discourses  music  and  on  their  rippling  surface 
float  barges  to  bear  the  wives  and  children  of  the 
King  from  sylvan  spot  to  marble  steps  as  fancy  dic- 
tates. In  various  parts  of  the  garden  are  large  cages 
containing  monkeys,  birds  and  animals  that  add  no  little 
to  the  picturesqueness  of  the  scene.  In  the  palace  is 
preserved  a  rare  collection  of  serpents  found  in  the 
dank  vegetation  of  this  country,  some  unknown  in 
other  sections. 

For  a  couple  of  hours  we  strolled  through  the  well- 
kept  grounds  and  gardens,  fifty  persons  being  con- 
stantly employed  in  beautifying  and  keeping  them  in 
order.  On  an  island  in  the  river,  amid  a  grove  of 
emerald  verdure,  has  been  erected  a  memorial  chapel 
to  the  memory  of  the  late  Queen,  a  handsome  gothic 
structure  with  stained  glass  windows,  more  like  a 
Christian  church  than  a  Buddhist  temple.  The  Queen 
was  drowned  by  the  overturning  of  a  yacht  and  in  the 
palace  grounds  a  handsome  marble  monument  has  also 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  167 

been  erected,  detailing  the  circumstances  of  that  sad 
event.  As  our  time  was  limited  we  had  to  take  a 
hurried  view  of  this  lovely  place,  with  its  various 
palaces  scattered  over  its  floral  grounds,  the  tall  orien- 
tal watch  tower  that  stands  like  a  sentinel  looking 
down  on  all  its  sylvan  lakes  mirroring  the  bluest  of 
skies,  but  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  boat  reminded  us 
that  time  was  up  and  with  a  sigh  of  regret  we  left 
Bang-Pa-In,  its  world  of  flowers,  towering  trees, 
fragrant  atmosphere  and  paradisacal  beauty,  an  elysium 
where  one  could  dream  life  away  without  a  pang  or 
wish  for  wordly  honors,  the  Nirvana  of  a  poet. 

While  on  the  wing,  in  company  with  several  others, 
after  a  couple  of  days  travel  in  our  boats  we  reached  the 
city  of  Ratburee  and  after  spending  some  time  in  the 
palace  of  the  late  Regent,  were  furnished  with  a  convey- 
ance to  visit  a  royal  palace  that  had  been  erected  a 
number  of  years  since  by  the  King  on  a  small  mountain 
about  four  miles  from  the  city.  The  carriage  was  a 
dilapidated  affair,  the  best  of  over  a  dozen  rotting 
down  in  the  carriage  house,  paint  and  grease  having 
been  strangers  to  them  for  years,  but  it  bore  our  party 
over  the  broad  and  smooth  avenue  safely  to  the  foot 
of  the  mount  where  a  handsome  stone  walk  and  steps 
led  up  to  the  palace,  a  massive  pile  of  stone  and  brick, 
beautiful  in  architectural  design  and  romantically 
situated.  From  its  broad  verandas  and  columned  porti- 
cos a  lovely  view  of  the  country  for  miles  can  be  seen, 
in  the  far  distance,  the  blue  mountains  of  Burmah;  a 
palace  seemingly  worthy  of  any  monarch.  Slowly  mount- 
ing upwards  a  hundred  feet  we  were  ushered  through 
its  portals  by  an  attendant  who  was  in  charge  of  the 
place  and  were  surprised  to  note  the  ruin  and  desola-. 


168  THE   PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

tion  that  prevailed  throughout  the  whole  establish- 
ment, magnificient  in  its  decay;  the  ceilings  of  rare 
wood,  handsomely  ornamented,  were  falling  off  and 
littered  the  marble  floor  of  the  reception  room  and  a 
massive  chandelier,  hanging  by  a  frail  support,  was 
ready  to  fall,  many  of  its  prisms  already  broken  off. 
Most  of  the  furniture  of  the  place  had  been  stolen  and 
what  was  left  evinced  good  taste;  the  kamoys  or 
thieves  having  had  good  pickings,  carrying  off  every- 
thing portable.  This  palace  had  been  erected  at  con- 
siderable expense  by  the  present  monarch  and  to  ex- 
pedite the  work  a  railroad  was  built  from  the  river  to 
the  foot  of  the  mountain,  for  the  purpose  of  conveying 
the  heavy  material  of  which  it  was  constructed,  the 
rails  are  now  turning  to  rust  and  the  cars  falling  to 
pieces,  no  longer  of  any  use,  and  the  dwelling  of  the 
King  is  tenantless,  its  foundations  crumbling  and  its 
walls  toppling  to  a  fall.  It  was  heart  rending  to  see 
this  magnificent  edifice  thus  deserted  while  thousands 
of  the  natives  had  but  flimsy  bamboo  huts  to  reside  in, 
a  type  of  the  stagnation  of  the  East.  After  its  com- 
pletion His  Majesty  spent  but  one  week  within  its 
walls  and  as  it  is  possible  that  he  will  never  occupy  it 
again  it  will  slowly  yield  to  the  ravages  of  time,  crum- 
ble into  a  shapeless  mound  and  thus  add  another  pile 
to  this  land  of  many  ruins,  the  very  air  of  which  is 
freighted  with  lethargy  and  indolence.  The  custodian 
of  the  place  informed  us  that  since  the  death  of  the 
late  Regent,  Ratburee  had  almost  ceased  to  be  a  royal 
city  and  that  bands  of  dacoits  and  kamoys  roamed 
through  the  country  at  pleasure,  bidding  defi- 
ance to  the  officials  who,  being  too  far  away  from 
Bangkok,  were  powerless  to  check  their  ravages. 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  169 

Extensive  rice  fields  surround  the  city  for  many  miles, 
groves  of  palm  and  bamboo  enliven  the  view  and  thus 
break  the  monotony  of  an  almost  prairie  country. 
Dr.  Thompson  and  wife  are  the  only  white  persons  in  the 
place,  leading  a  lonesome  life,  they  are  connected  with 
the  Presbyterian  misson  and  are  doing  much  good 
among  the  natives,  the  King  having  kindly  granted 
them  a  palace  to  reside  in  and  for  hospital  purposes. 
The  missionary  doctors  are  fast  superceeding  the  native 
practitioners,  and  as  far  as  getting  into  the  confidence 
of  the  native,  one  doctor  can  do  more  real  good  in 
advancing  western  ideas  than  a  brigade  of  missionaries — 
the  lancet  being  a  more  potent  weapon  than  the  bible 
among  the  followers  of  Buddha.  On  the  outskirts  of 
the  city  are  the  foundations  of  two  immense  buildings, 
that  had  been  started  by  some  Prince,  but  he  dying, 
the  work  was  stopped  and  the  buildings  abandoned,  that 
being  the  usual  course  pursued  by  the  Siamese  as  they 
believe  that  the  originator  would  get  the  merit  of  the 
work  if  it  was  completed.  Some  of  the  stones  in  these 
foundations  were  of  immense  size  and  it  is  marvellous 
how  they  were  placed  in  position  by  manual  labor,  as 
they  have  no  other  means  of  working,  a  derick  seem- 
ingly unknown.  The  Regent's  palace,  a  magnificent 
building  and  the  best  in  the  city,  is  handsomely  fur- 
nished and  was  occupied  by  one  of  his  grandsons,  who 
was  very  proud  of  his  collection  of  knives,  manufac- 
tured by  the  natives,  hundreds  of  them,  which  were 
displayed  on  the  walls,  and  an  unique  collection  of  tea 
pots,  from  the  gold  one  presented  by  the  King  down 
to  the  tiniest  one  of  the  mandarin  china,  worth  ten 
times  its  weight  in  gold.  The  grounds  around  this 
palace  were  handsomely  laid  out  with  fountains  and 


1TO  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

reservoirs  for  irrigation,  at  times  the  heat  there  being 
intense.  On  the  fagade  of  the  main  entrance  mottoes 
in  English  were  carved:  «  Charity,"  "Virtue," 
"Benevolence,"  which  seemed  strangely  out  of  place  in 
that  far  away  Eastern  city,  whose  highways  and 
bazars  were  thronged  with  the  followers  of  Gautama. 
We  had  a  call  from  the  Governor  who  invited  us  to  his 
palace,  which  is  situated  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  surrounded  by  massive  walls  with  retainers  at 
the  gates,  and  he  received  us  royally  in  a  large 
sala,  which  was  covered  with  a  bamboo  carpet  woven 
in  one  piece.  Tea  and  other  refreshments  were  handed 
around  and  he  wondered  why  I  should  bring  my 
wife  so  far  when  women  were  a  drug  in  the  market, 
while  the  natives  were  much  impressed  with  her  dress 
and  carriage,  as  she  was  taller  than  the  average  women 
and  many  had  never  seen  an  American  lady.  While 
there  we  had  a  chance  to  note  how  justice  was  dis- 
pensed. A  policeman  led  in  a  trembling  native  and 
vyeing  before  the  Governor  proceeded  to  relate  the 
offence  that  the  crouching  culprit  was  charged  with. 
The  Governor  asked  the  policeman  a  few  questions  and 
then  told  him  to  take  the  fellow  out  and  hit  him  ten 
strokes  with  the  bamboo.  The  prisoner  had  pilfered 
some  fruit.  He  got  off  easily,  most  of  the  time  the  Gov- 
ernor sentences  them  to  the  stockades  for  a  month  or 
more,  and  once  there  the  jailer  gets  him  in  his  debt  and 
the  chains  once  on  they  rarely  come  off  till  his  body  is 
cremated  or  given  to  the  vultures.  While  a  prisoner  he 
is  made  to  work  for  the  Governor  or  some  other  noble, 
without  pay  or  emolument,  and  his  friends,  if  he  has 
any,  have  to  furnish  him  with  rice  and  clothes.  Truly 
the  way  of  the  transgressor  in  this  country  is  hard  and 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  171 

the  jailers  make  it  harder,  so  as  to  induce  the  relatives 
of  the  prisoner  to  buy  them  out  by  paying  the  extor- 
tionate charges  they  run  up  to  the  account  of  the  un- 
fortunate that  may  fall  into  their  clutches.  A  visit  to 
the  stockade  was  sufficient  to  convince  anyone  that 
Dante's  inscription  of  Inferno  would  not  be  out  of 
place  here.  The  prisoners  were  confined  in  a  place 
about  an  acre  in  extent,  closed  in  with  a  double  row  of 
bamboo  posts  about  twelve  feet  high,  with  a  row  of 
open  sheds  on  one  side  in  which  the  manacled  occu- 
pants slept  on  the  ground.  Filth  of  all  kind  abounded 
and  the  stench  was  akin  to  that  of  a  durian.  The 
inmates,about  forty  in  number,  were  squatting  around 
and  perfectly  callous,  they  had  apparently  cast  hope 
behind  and  were  waiting  to  be  translated  to  some  other 
sphere.  They  were  in  for  numerous  crimes;  a  few  for 
murder,  the  latter  had  been  in  the  stockade  over  three 
years  and  had  had  no  trial,  virtually  the  Governor's 
slaves.  Leaving  there  and  wandering  out  under  the 
trees  that  were  clothed  in  the  loveliest  of  blossoms,  the 
air  freighted  with  their  perfume,  I  could  scarcely  realize 
that  so  much  suffering  existed  in  this  land  of  sunshine 
where  man  alone  seemed  vile.  Just  beyond  the  Gov- 
ernor's palace  flowed  the  majestic  river  bearing  on  its 
pellucid  bosom  many  boats,  some  from  where  the  glit- 
tering fountains  lave  the  flowery  meads  of  Burmah, 
others  from  the  sparkling  waters  of  the  gulf,  and 
beyond  the  white  walls  of  the  temples  and  palaces  of  the 
city,  while  far  away,  fringed  with  fern  and  palm  and 
tamarind  tree,  the  stream  shrank  to  a  slender  thread  and 
was  lost  in  the  dip  of  the  horizon.  This  was  our  first 
visit  to  the  interior  and  we  were  astonished  at  the  fer- 
tility of  the  soil  and  the  resources  of  this  favored 


172  THE   PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

section.  It  requires  but  little  labor  to  raise  a  crop  and 
the  native  does  not  care  to  make  any  more  than  enough 
to  pay  his  rent,  taxes  and  to  subsist  on,  fearful  of  be- 
ing squeezed,  and  well  he  may  be,  if  one-half  the  tales 
told  of  grasping  officials  are  correct.  In  the  interior 
justice  is  a  misnomer  and  no  one  expects  it.  The  man 
that  has  the  first  say  or  is  a  favorite  or  relative  of  the 
powers  that  be,  generally  wins  and  it  is  useless  to 
appeal  to  the  King ;  their  petitions  will  be  suppressed 
and  never  reach  him.  The  Governors  of  provinces  are 
supreme  and  accumulate  large  fortunes  out  of  the 
miseries  of  their  subjects.  When  the  shades  of  evening 
fell  we  turned  the  prows  of  our  boats  down  stream  and 
after  winding  through  numerous  canals  and  floating 
down  a  couple  of  rivers  we  found  ourselves  again  at 
Bangkok. 


XIX. 

THE  LEGAL  OATH  ADMINISTERED  TO 
WITNESSES. 

The  Siamese  have  regularly  appointed  judges  and 
various  courts  are  held  for  the  purpose  of  trying  crim- 
inals and  the  settlement  of  disputes.  Among  the  oaths 
administered  to  witnesses,  after  they  are  taken  to  a 
Buddhist  temple  by  an  officer  of  the  court,  is  the  an- 
nexed. It  has  been  partially  amended  by  the  judges 
in  Bangkok,  but  is  still  used  in  the  interior  towns  and 
villages  and  would  seem  to  be  binding  enough  for  all 
practical  purposes.  This  oath  was  translated  and  pub- 
lished in  the  Siam  Advertiser  a  number  of  years  since 
and  pronounced  correct  by  Siamese  scholars.  Some- 
thing similar  is  taken  by  the  officers  and  officials  of 
the  palace  when  they  drink  the  water  of  allegiance. 
Such  oaths  should  stick  if  there  is  anything  in  tall 
swearing : 

"I,  who  have  been  brought  here  as  a  witness  in  this 
matter,  do  now  in  the  presence  of  the  sacred  image  of 
Buddha,  declare  that  I  am  wholly  unprejudiced  against 
either  party  and  uninfluenced  in  any  way  by  the  opin- 
ions or  advice  of  others ;  that  no  prospects  of  pecuniary 
advantage  or  advancement  to  office  have  been  held  out 
to  me.  I  also  declare  that  I  have  not  received  any 
bribe  on  this  occasion.  If  what  I  have  now  to  say  be 
false,  or  if  in  my  further  averments  I  shall  color  or  per- 
vert the  truth  so  as  to  lead  the  judgment  of  others 
astray,  may  the  Three  Holy  Existences  before  whom  I 

173 


174  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

now  stand  together  with  the  nine  glorious  Thewedas  of 
the  twenty-two  firmaments  punish  me.  If  I  have  not 
seen  and  yet  shall  say  I  have  seen ;  if  I  shall  say  I 
know  that  which  I  do  not  know,  then  may  I  be  thus 
punished.  Should  innumerable  descendants  of  Deity 
happen  for  the  regeneration  and  salvation  of  mankind, 
may  my  erring  and  migratory  soul  be  found  beyond 
the  pale  of  their  mercy.  "Wherever  I  go  may  I  be 
compassed  with  dangers  and  not  escape  from  them, 
whether  murderers,  robbers,  spirits  of  the  earth,  woods, 
or  water  or  air,  or  all  the  divinities  who  adore  Buddha ; 
or  from  the  gods  of  the  four  elements  and  all  other 
spirits.  May  the  blood  pour  out  of  every  pore  of  my 
skin,  that  my  crime  may  be  made  manifest  to  the 
world.  May  all  or  any  of  these  evils  overtake  me 
within  three  days  or  may  I  never  stir  from  the  spot  on 
which  I  now  stand;  or  may  the  lightning  cut  me  in 
two  so  that  I  may  be  exposed  to  the  derision  of  the 
people ;  or  if  I  should  be  walking  abroad,  may  I  be  torn 
in  pieces  by  either  of  the  supernaturally  endowed  lions 
or  destroyed  by  poisonous  serpents.  If  on  the  water 
of  the  river  or  ocean  may  supernatural  crocodiles  or 
great  fish  devour  me ;  or  may  the  winds  and  waves 
overwhelm  me,  or  may  the  dread  of  such  evils  keep  me 
a  prisoner  during  life,  at  home,  estranged  from  every 
pleasure.  May  I  be  inflicted  with  intolerable  oppres- 
sion of  my  superiors,  or  may  a  plague  cause  my  death. 
After  which  may  I  be  precipitated  into  hell,  there  to 
go  through  innumerable  stages  of  torture,  amongst 
which  may  I  be  condemned  to  carry  water  over  the 
flaming  regions  in  wicker  baskets  to  assuage  the  heat 
of  Than  Tretonwan,  when  he  enters  the  infernal  hell 
of  justice,  and  thereafter  may  I  fall  into  the  lowest  pit 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 


175 


of  hell ;  or  if  these  miseries  should  not  ensue  may  I 
after  death  migrate  into  the  body  of  a  slave  and 
suffer  all  the  pain  and  hardship  attending  the  worst 
state  of  such  a  being  during  the  period  measured  by 
the  sand  of  the  sea,  or  may  I  animate  the  body  of  an 
animal,  or  be  a  beast  during  five  hundred  generations, 
or  be  born  a  hermaprodite  five  hundred  times,  or  en- 
dure in  the  body  of  a  deaf,  dumb  and  houseless  beggar 
every  species  of  disease,  during  the  same  number  of 
generations  and  then  may  I  be  hurried  to  narok  and 
there  be  tortured  by  Phya  Yam." 


XX. 

INSTALLATION  OF  THE  CROWN  PRINCE. 

One  of  the  grandest  pageants  ever  witnessed  in 
Bangkok  was  the  occasion  of  declaring  the  Crown 
Prince  heir  to  the  throne  of  Siam.  The  ceremonies 
lasted  four  days  and  commenced  with  a  grand  proces- 
sion within  the  palace  walls  to  which  the  consular 
body  and  foreign  residents  were  invited.  A  large 
pavilion  had  been  erected  for  the  nobles  and  consular 
body  immediately  opposite  the  royal  pavilion  to  which 
the  guests  were  escorted  along  the  broad  avenue,  which 
was  covered  with  matting,  through  long  lines  of  soldiers 
standing  at  a  present,  their  burnished  rifles  flashing 
brightly  in  the  dazzling  sun.  At  intervals  were  sta- 
tioned five  bands,  modern  music,  while  old  Siam  was 
represented  by  horns,  torn  toms,  and  drums  of  an 
oblong  shape  which  the  performers  struck  with  their 
hands  making  a  mournful  sound.  Waiting  about  an 
hour,  at  5  P.  M.  the  bugles  blared,  the  loud  reverbera- 
tion of  cannon  was  borne  to  our  ears  on  the  sultry  air, 
the  bands  struck  up  the  national  air  of  Siam,  the  troops 
became  alert  and  over  50,000  persons  stood  up  to  wit- 
ness the  coming  of  the  King.  He  was  preceded  by  a 
body  guard  of  nobles  carrying  fasces  and  over  their 
state  dress  they  wore  lace  mantles,  immediately  in 
front  was  borne  his  sword  with  jeweled  hilt  and  his 
palanquin,  of  gold  and  silver,  borne  on  the  shoulders  of 
eight  of  the  highest  nobles,  over  him  the  royal  canopy, 
surrounded  by  six  attendants,  who  carried  miniature 

176 


The  Crown  Prince,  Heir  Apparent  to  the  Throne. 


THE   PEARL    OF    ASIA.  177 

pagodas  on  gilded  staffs.  The  King  was  clad  in 
a  robe  of  yellow  silk  encrusted  with  gold  embroidery, 
purple  silk  panung,  violet  colored  siik  stockings,  slip- 
pers embroidered  with  gold  and  jewels,  and  a  flexible 
gold  belt,  the  buckle  of  which  was  studded  with  dia- 
monds, rubies,  emeralds  and  sapphires,  across  his  breast 
he  wore  a  broad  silk  scarf  from  which  was  suspended 
a  number  of  medallions  and  orders  flashing  with 
rare  gems,  carrying  in  his  hand  a  white  helmet. 
Reaching  the  pavilion  he  stepped  gracefully 
from  his  chair,  bowed  twice  to  the  diplomats 
and  nobles  and  then  seated  himself  on  his  throne,  a 
massive  affair,  heavily  gilded.  The  pavilion  was 
draped  with  silk  curtains  of  gold  and  scarlet,  the  steps 
that  led  to  it  were  covered  with  crimson  velvet  carpet 
as  was  the  Moor.  By  the  side  of  the  throne,  on  a  gilt 
table,  stood  a  large  betel  box,  cigar  case  and  cuspidor, 
of  solid  gold,  handsomely  chased  with  Siamese  figures, 
typical  of  the  legends  of  the  days  when  Buddha  walked 
the  earth  and  taught  the  nations  of  the  East  a  doctrine 
that  has  outlived  a  score  of  dynasties  and  has  still  mil- 
lions of  followers.  As  soon  as  the  King  was  seated  a 
dozen  lacon  girls  came  sweeping  down  the  avenue, 
dressed  in  their  peculiar  costume,  wi£h  flowers  in  their 
hands,  intended  to  represent  angels  bearing  gifts.  A 
procession  then  formed,  made  up  of  nobles,  women  and 
girls,  men  and  boys,  representatives  dressed  in  the 
costumes  of  the  various  provinces  of  Siam,  in  the  cen- 
ter of  which  was  borne  the  Crown  Prince,  a  bright 
eyed  youth  of  ten  summers,  who  was  escorted  by 
twelve  nobles,  prominent  among  them  the  King  of 
Ohangmai  and  the  ex-Kramata,  late  Foreign  Minister, 
Ms  sponsors.  He  was  carried  on  a  gold  chair,  preceded 


178  THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

by  five  girls,  dressed  like  angels,  bearing  his  gold 
betel  box,  tea  pot  and  other  utensils,  canopied  with  a 
royal  umbrella  and  surrounded  by  servitors  carrying 
fasces  and  other  paraphernalia.  Reaching  the  throne 
he  stepped  off  his  chair  and  was  seated  at  the  feet  of 
his  father.  The  procession  having  passed  the  King 
and  Prince  retired  and  soon  reappeared,  the  King  with 
his  royal  robe  on,  a  cloak  of  gold  that  reached  nearly 
to  his  ankles  and  on  his  head  a  crown  made  in  the 
shape  of  a  pagoda,  fourteen  inches  in  height,  of  the 
purest  gold,  studded  with  jewels,  surmounted  with  a 
diamond  of  fabulous  value,  weighing  a  number  of 
pounds.  He  was  forced  to  fasten  it  on  to  keep  it  from 
toppling  to  one  side,  a  very  uncomfortable  headgear 
for  the  wearer,  a  literal  carrying  out  of  the  assertion 
"  uneasy  is  the  head  that  wears  a  crown."  The  Crown 
Prince,  also,  wore  a  crown  of  similar  shape,  a 
mass  of  jewels ;  he  was  dressed  in  white 
silk  and  before  he  put  on  his  crown  his  topet  or  tuft 
of  hair,  that  each  Siamese  youth  wears,  was  encircled 
with  a  coronet  of  diamonds  set  in  silver,  his  collar,  at 
least  eight  inches  deep,  was  elaborately  embroidered 
with  diamonds  as  was  the  breast  and  cuffs  of  his  coat, 
around  his  neck  was  swung  a  medallion  of  his  father 
encased  with  brilliants,  his  fingers  were  hooped  with 
gems  and  around  each  ankle  were  six  anklets  of  gold 
encrusted  with  precious  stones,  the  fastenings  of  his 
coat  were  five  buttons  as  large  as  a  filbert,  diamonds  set 
in  a  filigree  of  gold,  his  belt  and  slippers  were  also  a 
mass  of  priceless  gems,  making  up  a  costume  regally 
beautiful,  the  value  of  which  could  not  be  computed 
under  a  half  million  of  dollars.  Other  of  the  King's 
children  were  present  in  the  pavilion  and  they  also 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  179 

were  covered  with  jewels,  diamonds  being  the  favorite. 
One  of  them  wore  a  chain  of  emeralds  and  diamonds 
that  crossed  over  the  shoulder  like  a  sash  and  fastened 
in  front  with  a  lovely  sapphire  clasp ;  another  a  sapphire 
chain  worn  similarly,  each  sapphire  being  surrounded 
with  small  diamonds  and  clasped  with  a  royal  ruby, 
others  wore  pendants  and  medallions,  family  heir 
looms.  It  would  be  impossible  to  compute  the  value 
of  the  jewels  worn  by  the  royal  children  alone,  it  be- 
ing reported  that  the  King  had  presented  the  Crown 
Prince  with  jewels  to  the  value  of  $400,000  and  the 
presents  from  Princes  and  nobles  exceeded  that  sum. 
Those  worn  by  the  leading  Siamese,  who  were  in 
attendance,  were  also  of  inestimable  value,  most  of 
whom  were  decorated  with  orders  and  medallions  and 
wore  heavy  gold  chains  and  gold  belts,  the  clasps  of 
which  were  works  of  art,  scintillating  with  rare  gems, 
while  the  buttons  on  some  of  their  coats  were  costly 
solitaires,  literally  gems  of  Golconda.  It  was  indeed  a 
royal  sight  to  look  over  the  vast  array  of  noblemen 
dressed  in  coats  of  gold  and  silver  damascene  cloth, 
silk  panungs  and  stockings,  with  broad  yellow,  green 
and  red  sashes  thrown  across  their  breasts,  their  jewels 
sparkling,  while  among  them  were  seated  a  number  of 
officers  of  the  army  and  navy  in  showy  uniforms. 

After  the  procession  had  filed  by  the  King,  Prince 
and  attendant  nobles  repaired  to  the  royal  wat  adja- 
cent where  the  Prince  Arch  Bishop,  assisted  by  ten 
Bishops,  offered  up  prayers  for  the  welfare  of  His 
Majesty  and  the  Crown  Prince,  during  which  time  the 
guests  were  regaled  with  ices,  tea,  cigars,  etc.  In 
about  an  hour  the  drums  beat,  the  King  returned,  the 
procession  reformed  and  marched  before  him,  he  then 


180  THE   PEAEL    OF   ASIA. 

took  off  his  royal  robe  and  crown,  the  palanquins  were 
brought  up  and  the  King  and  Prince  stepping  into 
them  were  borne  back  to  the  palace,  His  Majesty  bow- 
ing repeatedly,  returning  his  thanks  to  the  diplomats 
and  others  for  their  attendance  and  requesting  that 
they  be  present  on  the  morrow.  The  bands  then  struck 
up,  the  soldiers  marched  off  at  a  double  quick,  the 
crowd  poured  forth  through  the  gates  and  seeking  our 
carriage  we  were  swiftly  borne  home.  At  night  the 
palace  and  grounds  were  handsomely  illuminated  with 
electric  lights,  gas  and  colored  lanterns  while  lacon  per- 
formances and  feasting  were  kept  up  till  midnight.  This 
was  repeated  on  the  two  days  following  and  on  the 
fourth  day  at  10  A.  M.  the  grand  ceremony  of  the 
water  rite  was  commenced.  At  an  early  hour  a  steady 
stream  of  humanity,  old  and  young,  dressed  in  holiday 
attire,  flowed  toward  the  palace,  that  being  the  main 
day,  and  by  the  hour  named  there  could  not  have  been 
less  than  500,000  persons  in  and  around  the  palace 
grounds.  On  the  water  front,  extending  into  the 
river,  had  been  erected  a  handsome  temple  (see  engrav- 
ing), a  large  pagoda  in  the  center  with  four  smaller 
ones  at  each  corner,  all  heavily  gilded  and  around  them 
an  enclosure  elaborately  paneled  with  pictures,  Budd- 
histic mythological  subjects,  the  platform  and  steps 
leading  to  the  temple  being  covered  with  white  cloth. 
In  the  center  of  the  building  had  been  sunk  a  marble 
pool,  about  twelve  feet  square,  into  which  the  river 
flowed  and  leading  down  to  the  water  were  marble 
stairs  protected  with  silver  rods,  down  which  the  Prince 
was  conducted  by  the  King  and  received  by  his  uncle, 
Chowfa  Bhanurengsi,  Prince  Ong  Noi,  who  proceeded 
to  perform  the  solemn  ceremony  of  the  sacred  bath. 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  181 

At  10  A.  M.  the  King  accompanied  by  the  Crown 
Prince,  who  had  been  attending  religious  exercises  at 
one  of  the  wats,  surrounded  by  a  number  of  bishops  in 
their  yellow  robes,  proceeded  to  a  handsome  pavilion 
where  a  number  of  tapers  had  been  placed  on  a  circu- 
lar pedestal,  when  the  King,  after  lighting  several  with 
the  sacred  fire  that  had  been  blessed  by  the  Bramins, 
handed  the  torch  to  the  Prince  who  lit  the  remainder. 
The  priests  then  offered  up  a  prayer  after  which  the 
King,  Prince  and  attendant  nobles  repaired  to  the 
Golden  Temple  which  was  soon  filled,  none  but  nobles 
and  priests  of  the  highest  rank  being  allowed  entrance. 
Around  it  on  a  wide  platform  were  stationed  courtiers 
in  old  Siam  uniforms,  armed  with  flint  lock  muskets, 
in  the  water  a  number  of  men  swam  around  the  temple 
to  keep  the  water  spirits  from  entering,  while  up  and 
down  the  river  were  stationed  gun  boats  and  steamers, 
with  a  flotilla  of  barges  decorated  with  flags  and  bunt- 
ing. The  astrologers  had  cast  the  horoscope  of  the 
young  Prince  and  announced  that  the  auspicious 
moment  was  11:26  A.  M.,  at  which  time  a  signal  was 
fired,  then  the  cannon  on  the  vessels  and  a  battery  on 
shore  thundered, thousands  of  muskets  were  discharged, 
the  bands  played  and  the  thousands  in  attendance  knew 
that  the  solemn  rites  had  commenced  that  was  to  make 
the  Crown  Prince  heir  apparent  to  the  throne.  Hand- 
some pavilions  draped  with  white  and  red  canvas 
richly  carpeted  and  ornamented  with  silk  curtains  had 
been  prepared  for  the  diplomatic  body  and  nobles,  and 
while  the  water  rite  was  being  observed  refreshments 
were  handed  around  by  palace  servitors. 

The  sacred  water  rites  over  in  the  Golden  Temple, 
which  occupied  about  an  hour,  the  King  and  Prince 


182  TkE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

returned,  His  Majesty  bowing  most  graciously  as  he 
passed  apparently  well  pleased  and  no  nobler  specimen 
of  his  nation  was  present  among  the  many  nobles  of 
his  realm. 

At  4  P.  M.  same  day  the  diplomatic  body  and  high 
officials  assembled  at  the  palace  Abheren  Pamehepard, 
a  salute  of  twenty-one  guns  was  fired  when  the  Crown 
Prince  was  seated  on  a  handsome  throne,  dressed  in 
royal  robes  of  gold  encrusted  with  jewels,  surmounted 
with  a  silk  canopy,  the  King  standing  by  his  side  a  few 
feet  to  his  left,  back  of  him  the  Queen  mother  and 
other  female  residents  of  the  palace  with  several  children 
all  handsomely  dressed.  To  the  right  of  the  King 
was  arranged  the  Princes  and  high  officials,  in  front 
the  diplomatic  body  and  to  the  left  the  lesser  nobles. 
The  large  audience  room  was  ablaze  with  light  from 
crystal  chandeliers  filled  with  perfumed  oil  that  threw 
a  mellow  glow  over  silken  curtains,  burnished  arms, 
and  rich  tapestry,  falling  with  most  pleasing  eifect  on 
the  vast  number  present,  their  gorgeous  uniforms 
lending  additional  brilliancy  to  the  scene,  while  the 
myriad  jewels  on  their  belts,  scarfs  and  breasts  flashed 
and  scintillated  like  glow  worms  in  a  parterre  of  flowers. 
As  soon  as  the  various  bodies  had  arranged  themselves 
addresses  of  congratulation  were  delivered  by  Prince 
Ong  Noi  on  the  part  of  the  royal  family,  Hon.  Ernst 
Satow,  H.  B.  M.  Minister,  in  behalf  of  the  diplomatic 
body,  and  Chow  Fa  Mahah  Mahlah,  Minister  of  the 
Interior,  for  the  lesser  nobles,  to  which  His  Majesty 
replied  at  some  length  and  with  considerable  feeling. 
Upon  his  conclusion  the  Crown  Prince  arose,  stepped 
off  of  his  throne  and  without  a  tremor  spoke  a  memorized 
speech  which  pleased  all  present. 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  183 

The  King  then  announced  that  the  audience  was  over 
and  stepping  forward  shook  hands  with  the  British  and 
American  Ministers,the  French  Charged' Affairs  and  the 
Admiral  of  the  French  fleet,  then  in  Tonquin  waters. 
Bowing  gracefully  the  King  and  Prince  retired,  and  as 
the  cannon  thundered,  the  drums  beat  and  bugles 
blared,  the  royal  son  was  declared  and  recognized  as  the 
heir  apparent  and  future  King  of  Siam.  Amid  salvos  of 
artillery  the  immense  flood  of  humanity  that  over- 
flowed the  palace  grounds  slowly  ebbed  away,  and  -  as 
the  upper  deep  became  studded  with  the  orbs  of  night, 
less  numerous  than  the  jewels  of  Ind  that  had  for  hours 
dazzled  us,  a  practical  realization  of  the  wealth  of  the 
orient,  for  on  the  brow  of  the  Queen  blazed  a  coronet 
of  purest  stones  that  far  outrivalled  the  paler  beauties 
of  the  Empress  of  Night  that  hung  like  a  silver  sickel 
in  the  western  skies,  I  drove  rapidly  homeward,  having 
had  a  repletion  of  Asiatic  grandeur  and  oriental  splen- 
dor, pomp  and  power.  The  ceremony  in  the  Golden 
Temple,  the  water  rite,  I  have  alluded  to  elsewhere. 

His  title  is  now  Somdetch  Phra  Borom  Orotsaterat 
Chow  Fa  Maha  Chaeron  Tit  Aditoasa  Chulalongkorn 
Bodintara  Tetwaraugoon  Baromagnduarensoon  Bottesa 
Devawong  OoKretepong  Warosutochat  Tanzarark 
Weratreeboon  Serepepat  Narwesoot,  Crown  Prince  of 
Siam.  Translation  from  the  medal  struck  in  commem- 
oration of  the  event. 


XXI. 

PKOMINENT  TEMPLES  AND  PAGODAS. 

Of  the  fifty-eight  leading  wats  or  temples  in  the  city 
of  Bangkok  wat  P'hya,  or  temple  of  tlie  Emerald  Idol, 
situate  in  the  palace  grounds,  excells  all  others  not  only 
in  the  city  but  kingdom,  for  the  beauty  of  its  exterior 
and  interior.  Its  style  of  architecture  is  similar  to  most 
of  the  wats  but  its  main  beauty  is  the  finish  of  its 
exterior ;  the  floor  laid  with  German  silver  bricks,  its 
altar  surmounted  by  the  sacred  emerald  idol,  the  walls 
elaborately  covered  with  paintings  representing  Nir- 
vana and  from  the  ceiling  is  suspended  innumerable 
chandeliers  that  sparkle  like  brilliants  as  the  sun  streams 
through  the  windows.  This  grand  temple  is  the  admi- 
ration of  every  one  that  is  so  fortunate  as  to  visit  it. 

As  regards  architectural  beauty  wat  Chang  has  not 
its  equal  in  the  East  and  as  it  rises  up  from  the  bank 
of  the  river  it  looks,  with  all  of  its  spires  and  domes 
sharply  defined,  as  if  it  was  the  creation  of  fancy  rather 
than  the  work  of  man,  perfect  in  its  proportions,  a 
vision  of  loveliness.  It  is  a  bell  shaped  pagoda  with  a 
lofty  pracheda  or  sacred  spire,  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  in  height,  with  four  smaller  pagodas  at  each 
corner,  all  built  solidly  of  brick  and  ornamented  with  a 
peculiar  mosaic,  grotesque  and  fantastic,  made  of  porce- 
lain cups,  plates,  dishes,  etc.  of  all  sizes  and  colors, 
whole  and  broken,  set  into  a  cement  to  form  figures  of 
elephants,  monkeys,  birds,  demons,  griffins,  flowers, 
fruit,  vines,  and  arabesque,  unique  and  original.  Nearly 

184 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  185 

half  way  up  are  four  large  niches  in  which  are 
images  of  Buddha  riding  on  three  elephants,  facing  the 
cardinal  points  of  the  compass,  which  gives  this  pagoda 
its  name,  Chang  being  the  Siamese  for  elephant. 
Other  niches,  near  the  base,  are  filled  with  statues  of 
gods  and  nondescripts.  About  twenty  acres  of  ground 
is  attached  to  this  wat,  which  is  handsomely  laid  off, 
containing  residences  for  priests,  temples  for  preaching, 
halls  and  library,  salas,  flower  and  fruit  gardens,  ponds, 
grottos,  statues  of  Buddha,  giants,  warriors,  nonde- 
scripts, etc.  The  walks  to  and  from  the  temple  are 
laid  with  heavy  stone  slabs  worn  smooth  by  the  bare 
feet  of  the  numerous  devotees  that  seek  the  cool  retreat 
of  the  cloistered  halls  and  the  shade  of  the  sacred  trees 
that  clasp  the  pagoda  in  a  vast  emerald  frame.  At 
the  entrance  of  the  main  gate  way  are  two  immense 
wooden  statues,  Naks  or  demi-gods,  holding  huge 
maces  in  their  hand,  grotesque  objects,  and  similar 
statues  are  to  be  found  in  the  palace  grounds  and  at 
nearly  all  the  wats. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  is  the  much  visited 
temple  wat  Poh,  which  contains  the  idol  known  as  the 
Sleeping  Buddha,  the  largest  in  the  world,  it  being  one 
hundred  and  forty-eight  feet  in  length,  and  at  its  shoul- 
ders sixty-five  feet  in  height.  It  represents  Buddha  as 
lying  with  his  head  on  one  arm  in  the  act  of  meditation 
and  is  most  admirably  proportioned,  its  large  mild 
looking  eyes  ornament  a  pleasant  looking  face  that  has 
upon  it  a  look  of  supreme  content,  as  if  it  was  a  senti- 
ent being,  with  its  gaze  fixed  on  the  to  come  and 
impervious  to  the  passions  that  rule  men,  such  as 
Raphael  gave  his  saints ;  its  arms,  head  and  neck  are 
perfectly  moulded  notwithstanding  its  colossal  size,  as 


186  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

is  also  the  body,  which  is  built  of  brick  covered  with  a 
thick  coat  of  laquer,  heavily  plated  with  gold  leaf. 
The  greatest  curiosity  is  its  feet,  the  toes  all  equal,  and 
the  soles,  sixteen  feet  in  length,  are  perfectly  flat,  cov- 
ered with  the  mystic  symbols  pertaining  to  a  Buddha, 
inlaid  with  gold  and  mother  of  pearl,  each  of  which  is 
typical  of  something  connected  with  the  teaching  of 
Gautama.  The  building  in  which  it  reclines  was  built 
expressly  for  it  and  is  lighted  by  a  large  number  of 
windows  and  doors  which  fly  open  at  the  request  of 
sight  seers,  who  always  hand  the  keepers  of  the  temple 
a  tical  or  two  as  a  recompense  for  their  trouble.  In 
the  extensive  grounds  that  belong  to  this  favorite  wat 
are  a  number  of  handsome  buildings  and  five  massive 
topes  or  pagodas,  one  by  each  King  of  the  present 
dynasty.  Along  the  broad  paved  walks  are  rows  of 
trees  that  cast  a  cooling  shade,  and  near  the  center  of 
the  gardens  is  a  large  pond  in  which  a  number  of  ali- 
gators  are  kept,  and  for  a  small  sum  are  exhibited  to 
visitors.  The  grounds  are  surrounded  by  high  walls 
whitewashed,  and  the  gates  guarded  by  Naks.  It  is 
one  of  the  best  wats  to  visit  if  a  person  wishes  to  see 
all  kinds  of  Siamese  architecture,  and  the  attendants 
are  polite  and  accommodating.  The  wats  and  grounds 
throughout  Siam  are  always  open  to  strangers  as  well 
as  to  the  natives. 

The  Chinese  have  several  wats  in  the  city,  the  largest 
of  which  is  wat  Conlayer  JS"emit,  which  occupies  a 
square  of  ground  and  is  noted  for  the  number  of  its 
grotesque  idols  and  statues  scattered  through  its 
grounds.  It  is  one  of  the  largest  temples  in  the  city, 
its  immense  roof  is  at  least  one  hundred  feet  in  height 
and  at  one  end  of  the  mammoth  chamber  or  hall  is  a 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  187 

gigantic  brass  Buddha  sitting  cross-legged,  fifty  feet  in 
height  and  forty  feet  across  its  knees,  one  of  the  hand- 
somest images  in  Bangkok,  other  idols  are  scattered 
through  the  building  of  various  sizes.  Two  smaller 
wats  are  located  in  this  compound,  one  containing  a 
gilded  Buddha  sitting  on  a  rock,  supported  by  a  copper 
elephant  on  one  side  and  on  the  other  by  a  large  lead 
monkey  in  attitudes  of  adoration.  In  the  other  wat  is 
located  a  large  statue  of  Buddha  standing,  with  about 
one  hundred  smaller  statues,  in  different  positions, 
grouped  around  it,  made  of  various  metals,  many  of 
them  gilded,  and  a  few  of  wood.  It  is  said  that  some 
of  the  smaller  ones  were  made  of  silver  and  gold,  but 
the  priests  seemed  ignorant  of  the  matter  and  if  there 
were  any  such  refused  to  point  them  out.  As  is  usual 
in  most  wats  the  walls  were  covered  with  highly 
colored  paintings  of  Siamese  traditions  somewhat  dis- 
colored with  smoke  and  dirt,  in  fact,  as  a  general  thing, 
the  wats  are  all  filthy,  smell  of  coal  oil,  and  as  the 
priests  seldom  preach  in  them  they  are  not  swept  out 
or  ventilated.  After  visiting  one  or  two  wats  you  get 
an  idea  of  the  whole,  they  are  all  built  in  the  same 
style  of  architecture  and  have  similar  altars  and  sur- 
roundings, some  more  elaborate  and  costly  than  the 
others,  the  roof  usually  made  of  various  colored  tiles 
and  at  the  ridge  poles  extend  wooden  ornaments  very 
much  in  the  shape  of  a  bullock's  horn  which  gives  an 
artistic  finish  to  the  building.  The  doors  are  large  and 
artistically  carved  and  gilded,  some  very  elaborate,  the 
window  shutters,  as  they  use  no  glass,  are  massive  and 
handsomely  carved,  many  of  them  works  of  art, 
denoting  great  skill  on  the  part  of  the  designer  and 
workmen. 


188  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

The  wat  Pra  Prat'om  Chedee,  is  the  oldest  as  well 
as  the  most  magnificent  and  largest  of  the  Buddhist 
temples.  It  is  situated  in  the  center  of  a  vast  wilder- 
ness of  jungle  grass  on  a  canal  leading  into  Tacheen 
river,  about  eight  hours  distant  by  boat  from  Bang- 
kok and  is  erected  on  a  spot  where  it  is  supposed  that 
Buddha  passed  the  night  during  a  storm  while  on  his 
peregrinations  through  Siam,  its  name  meaning  the 
pagoda  of  a  god  that  slept,  its  height  being  414  feet ; 
this  mighty  edifice,  from  the  ground  up,  being  the 
work  of  man,  as  it  is  built  on  a  level  plain.  Its 
origin  is  shrouded  in  mystery  but  tradition  has  it  that 
it  was  originally  built  by  Phya  Kong,  a  powerful 
Rajah,  who  slew  his  father  in  battle.  Having  suffered 
the  bitterest  remorse  a  Buddhist  oracle  extended  to 
him  the  idea  that  if  he  wished  to  have  the  sin  of  parri- 
cide removed  that  he  erect  on  the  spot  where  his  father 
was  slain  and  where  Buddha  slept  a  pagoda  reaching 
above  the  highest  flight  of  doves  and  enshrine  in  it  a 
sacred  relic  of  Buddha.  In  obedience  to  the  oracle  he 
did  so,  expending  untold  sums  on  the  work.  It  is 
reported  that  a  miracle  was  effected  through  the  effi- 
cacy of  a  prayer  offered  here  by  the  Chief  Priest  of 
Siam,  who  invoked  the  angel  in  charge  of  the  temple 
that  if  any  of  the  sacred  relics  of  the  Buddha  had  been 
enshrined  there,  that  he  would  divide  them  so  that  he 
could  deposit  them  in  the  royal  wat  at  Bangkok,  as  the 
ancient  pagoda  was  too  far  off  in  the  wilderness  for 
the  people  to  visit  for  worship.  A  month  or  so  after  this, 
while  the  priests  were  worshipping  in  wat  Ma-ha-t'at, 
where  there  is  a  very  precious  image  of  Buddha,of  great 
antiquity,  they  beheld  a  red  smoke  ascending  from  this 
idol,  having  the  fragrance  of  incense,  while  it  glowed 


Brass  Idol  in  Temple,  Bangkok, 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  189 

as  if  red  hot.  Somewhat  frightened  they  examined  it, 
there  was  no  heat,  but  the  smoke  hung  about  it  like 
incense  and  filled  the  temple  with  its  fragrance,  seem- 
ingly a  profound  mystery.  The  Chief  Priest  was  noti- 
fied of  the  phenomena  and  he  repaired  to  the  temple 
with  a  number  of  his  followers  and  while  pursuing  his 
investigations  he  discovered  in  the  golden  urn  used  for 
preserving  sacred  relics  two  more  pieces  than  there 
had  been  before.  He  inquired  of  the  resident  priests 
and  the  keepers  of  the  door  if  they  knew  how  they 
came  in  the  urn,  no  one  knew,  and  all  were  convinced 
that  they  could  not  have  been  placed  there  by  mortal 
hand,  that  the  Chief  Priests'  prayer  had  been  ans- 
wered, that  the  angel  that  watched  over  Pra  Prat'om 
Chedee  had  responded  to  the  appeal  arid  placed  them 
in  the  urn.  The  relics  were  each  about  the  size  of  a 
mustard  seed,  white  like  the  flower  of  the  P'eekoon 
and  had  each  two  white  dots  in  a  straight  line  on^them. 
They  are  now  deposited  in  a  pagoda  of  precious  stone 
in  the  Pra  rata-na  Satraclarom.  Pra  Prat'om  was  a 
mass  of  ruins  up  till  1855,  when  King  Monkut  and 
some  of  his  chief  nobles  resolved  to  restore  it  and  the 
result  of  their  labor  is  that  it  is  now  the  wonder  and 
admiration  of  that  section.  Owing  to  its  isolation  but 
few  Europeans  have  visited  this  magnificent  specimen 
of  Siamese  architecture. 

After  a  weary  pull  through  the  canals  you  step  out 
of  your  boat  and  looking  upward  are  struck  with  won- 
der at  the  magnitude  of  the  structure  and  the  vast 
amount  of  treasure  and  labor  that  had  been  expended 
in  rearing  this  supreme  monument  to  Buddha,  having 
but  seen  its  upper  tower  at  a  distance  sharply  outlined 
against  the  bluest  of  skies.  It  is  surrounded  on  all  four 


190  THE   PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

sides  by  a  row  of  massive  buildings,  each  fronting  750 
feet  by  fifteen  in  width  and  thirty  in  height,  covered 
with  bright  red  tiles,  the  walls  stuccoed  yellow.  On 
the  corners,  where  the  buildings  connect,  are  towers 
finely  proportioned  and  the  gateways  are  surmounted 
with  arched  roofs.  Inside  these  buildings  form  a 
verandah  encircling  the  whole  enclosure.  Passing 
through  one  of  the  gateways  you  ascend  three  steps  to 
a  neatly  paved  plateau  twenty  feet  or  more  in  width, 
then  up  a  flight  of  marble  steps  through  a  handsome 
porch  to  the  second  plateau,  also  about  twenty  feet 
wide,  richly  finished  and  filled  with  artificial  lakes, 
mountains,  caverns,  miniature  pagodas  and  temples, 
statues,  etc.,  a  portico  surrounding  a  circular  row  of 
buildings.  From  thence  you  ascend  to  the  third  plateau 
paved  with  marble  and  shaded  by  trees  and  rare  shrubs 
and  scattered  all  around  it  granite  circular  tables, 
benches,  flower  pots,  couches,  &c.  The  circle  of  this 
floor  cannot  be  less  than  two  thousand  feet  by  thirty  in 
width.  The  fourth  plateau  is  reached  by  a  flight  of 
four  steps  through  another  row  of  buildings,  the  door 
opening  into  a  narrow  hall  also  circling  the  pagoda 
which  is  lighted  by  scores  of  oval  windows  on  the  out- 
side and  on  the  inside  a  series  of  handsome  arches  open 
on  the  next  plateau.  The  floor  is  laid  with  artificial 
marble  and  from  the  ceiling,  the  entire  circuit,  chanda- 
liers  of  Siamese  workmanship  are  suspended  about  ten 
feet  apart.  This  hall  is  divided  into  four  parts,  temples, 
enshrined  in  them  statues  of  Buddha  from  life  size  up  to 
those  of  gigantic  stature,  most  of  them  handsomely 
gilded.  On  the  outer  wall,  in  the  spaces  between  the 
windows,  are  texts  written  in  Pali,  occupying  about 
four  foot  space,  the  characters  neatly  executed  in  putty 


rt 
u 

'a, 

I 

•d 

c 


THE   PEARL   OF  ASIA.  191 

and  embossed  on  the  wall  by  some  process  that  makes 
them  hard  as  stone.  This  hall  is  about  one  thousand 
feet  in  the  circuit  and  on  the  same  level  is  an  open 
court  fifteen  feet  wide  surrounding  another  structure 
with  embrasures  in  which  are  fitted  large  panes  of 
different  colored  glass  for  the  purpose  of  holding  lamps, 
tastefully  arched,  and  placed  about  three  feet  apart, 
numbering  two  hundred  and  thirty.  In  the  rear  of 
this  wall  of  lamps  is  another  open  space  handsomely 
paved,  about  ten  feet  higher  up,  eight  feet  wide, 
making  the  fifth  plateau,  nine  hundred  feet  round, 
forming  the  base  of  the  pagoda  at  a  distance  of  thirty 
feet  from  the  ground,  three  hundred  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence, and  from  thence  upward  to  the  spire  three  hundred 
and  eighty-four  feet.  Above  this  plateau  there  are  no 
more  places  for  walking  and  it  then  takes  the  usual 
form  of  the  largest  pagodas,  belted  with  seven  zones, 
which  gradually  diminish  as  they  ascend  about  sixty 
feet  where  the  smooth  face  of  the  pagoda,  its  dome, 
commences,  running  up  one  hundred  feet,  then  the 
pagoda  proper  takes  the  form  of  a  pracheda  and  is 
crowned  with  a  frame  work  of  royal  metals  having  pro- 
jections and  a  lance-like  spire.  On  the  projections  are 
suspended  golden  bells  that  ring  out  melodiously  as 
they  are  swayed  by  the  breeze,  sounding  like  the 
whispering  of  angels  in  the  ether  as  their  soft  tintin- 
abulation  fills  the  air  and  falls  from  above  like  a  bfrni- 
son,  ever  sounding  the  praises  of  the  liberal  spirits  that 
have  reared  this  vast  poem  of  enduring  brick  and  stone 
in  the  wilds  where  Buddha  slept  and  a  King  died,  a 
monument  of  merit,  so  that  the  sin  of  parricide  should 
pass  away  from  a  son  stricken  down  by  remorse.  The 
golden  bells,  of  immense  value,  are  hung  so  high  heaven- 


192  THE    PEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

ward  that  no  one  has  ever  attempted  to  loot  them.  Sur- 
rounding this  temple  are  a  large  number  of  brick  and 
bamboo  houses,  erected  by  the  King  and  others,  now 
occupied  by  the  priests,  making  quite  a  city.  This 
whole  structure,  solidly  built  of  brick  and  stone,  from 
the  ground  up,  was  raised  by  manual  labor  and  its  cost, 
even  in  this  land  of  forced  labor,  must  have  been 
enormous. 

In  its  restoration  Choo  Phya  Thepakin,  the  author 
of  the  "  Kitchanukit,"  alone,  spent  a  fabulous  sum  to 
carry  out  the  Siamese  idea  of  tumboon — merit  making. 
A  volume  of  many  pages  could  be  written  on  the 
temples  of  Siam,  that  would  be  read  with  interest  if 
some  "  Old  Mortality  "  would  arise  and  devote  his  time 
to  it.  They  are  everywhere  and  like  the  monasteries 
of  the  dark  ages  occupy  the  finest  places  in  the  land, 
and  I  have  been  assured  that  at  least  one-third  of  the 
available  sites  for  villages  and  farms  are  now  occupied 
by  the  priests  as  wat  grounds. 

Far  in  the  interior,  two  days  journey  from  Bangkok, 
is  an  old  wat  fast  going  to  ruin,  in  its  wide  court  yard 
is  one  of  the  most  singular  productions  of  this  artistic 
people,  a  procession  headed  by  an  elephant,  made  up 
of  priests  and  people,  as  large  as  life,  the  elephant 
being  over  twelve  feet  high,  all  carved  out  of  a  solid 
rock.  No  one  can  tell  who  carved  the  stone  nor  why 
it  was  done,  it  stands  there  to-day  amid  flowering  vines 
and  sheltering  Bo-tree  as  it  did  when  fresh  from  the 
chisel  of  the  designer,  a  singular  work  of  art.  There  is 
nothing  like  it  elsewhere  in  the  kingdom  and  but  few 
are  aware  of  its  existence,  as  it  has  but  lately  been 
rescued  from  oblivion  by  the  ubiquitous  photographer 
who  has  portrayed  it  on  his  plates  for  the  admiration 


THE   PEARL  OF   ASIA.  193 

of  man.  The  wat,  in  whose  court  this  stone  procession 
is  found,  is  a  ruin  of  vast  proportions  but  the  figures 
remain  so  perfect  that  the  folds  of  their  dress  can  be 
seen  and  the  trappings  of  the  elephant  seem  as  if 
carved  but  yesterday.  It  must  have  required  years  to 
have  thus  hewn  these  numerous  figures  out  of  the  rock, 
as  they  all  have  been  carved  from  a  single  stone. 


XXII. 

BUDDHISM  IN  SIAM. 

A  number  of  learned  oriental  scholars  have  spent 
years  in  reading  the  vast  mass  of  fact  and  fiction  that 
has  come  down  to  us  from  the  writers  of  the  East  con- 
cerning the  Lord  Buddha,  whose  followers  now  num- 
ber at  least  one-third  of  the  human  race,  but  none  have 
given  it  a  closer  attention  than  the  late  Henry  Alabas- 
ter, who  spent  many  years  in  Bangkok  as  interpreter 
to  the  British  Legation  and  councillor  of  the  King,  a 
ripe  Pali  scholar,  and  from  his  work,  "  The  Wheel  of 
the  Law/'  collated  from  Siamese  manuscripts,  the 
"  Kitchanukit,"  and  the  Patamma  Samphathiyan  or 
First  Festival  of  Omniscience,  I  have  derived  much 
information  and  annex  his  introduction  to  the  Life  of 
Buddha ;  as  translated  from  the  Siamese : 

"  The  Great,  the  Holy  Lord,  the  being  who  was  about 
to  become  a  Buddha,  passed  the  first  twenty-nine  years 
of  his  life  as  a  layman  by  the  name  of  Prince  Sidharta. 
He  then  became  a  religious  mendicant,and  for  six  years 
subjected  himself  to  self-denials  of  a  nature  that  other 
men  could  not  endure.  Thereafter  he  became  the  Lord 
Buddha  and  gave  to  men  and  angels  the  draught  of 
immortality,  which  is  the  savour  of  the  True  Law. 
Forty-five  years  after  this  the  Lord,  the  Teacher, 
entered  the  Holy  Nirvana,  passing  thereto  as  he  lay 
between  two  lofty  trees  in  the  State  Gardens  of  the 
Malla  Princes,  near  the  Royal  City  of  Kusinagara." 

Mr.  Alabaster  was  fortunate  in  his  labors  to  have 

194 


THE   PEARL   OF  ASIA.  195 

the  assistance  of  His  Majesty  King  Monkut  and  Chow 
Phya  Thipaken,  both  learned  in  Pali  lore,  in  the 
preparation  of  the  "Wheel  of  the  Law,"  thus  giving  to 
the  general  reader  a  knowledge  of  the  teachings  of 
Buddha  and  his  life  which  must  prove  invaluable  to 
the  searcher  after  knowledge  in  that  direction,  from 
which  I  have  condensed  a  brief  account  of  the  Buddha 
of  many  nations,  and  his  peculiar  doctrines. 

It  would  seem  from  his  researches  that  the  Siamese 
have  derived  their  religion,  most  of  their  ceremonies 
and  the  better  part  of  their  language  from  the  ancient 
Aryans,  "the  respectable  race"  of  Central  India. 
Buddhism,  in  its  primitive  form,  consisted  of  four  great 
truths  conveying  the  idea  that  as  all  states  of  existence 
which  we  can  conceive  of  are  states  of  vanity,  sorrow 
and  change,  the  object  of  the  wisely  pious  must  be  to 
escape  from  them,  and  that  it  is  only  possible  to  escape 
from  them  by  eradicating  all  delight  in  worldly  pleas- 
ure and  raising  the  mind  to  that  intellectual  state  in 
which  there  is  no  longer  any  cleaving  to  existence,  but 
a  tranquil  readiness  to  pass  into  the  perfect  rest  of 
Nirvana.  In  the  course  of  time  monasticism  crept  in, 
the  result  of  the  unnatural  lives  led  by  the  monks, 
which  combined  the  doctrines  of  the  founder  of  the 
faith  with  their  unauthorized  dogmas  and  absurdities, 
the  result  of  warped,  fantastic  and  prurient  minds. 
The  Buddhist  speaks  of  heaven  rather  than  hell,  thinks 
it  uncharitable  to  damn  everlastingly  those  who  may 
differ  with  him,  but  with  the  degeneracy  of  his  race  he 
has  accepted  many  false  ideas  and  fables  and  thus 
invented  a  system  of  meditation  which  instead  of 
expanding  the  mind  tends  to  contract  it  almost  to 
idiocy.  Notwithstanding  the  Brahmins  drove  the 


196  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.. 

Buddhists  from  India  their  rites  are  observed  in  all 
State  ceremonials  and  they  live  harmoniously  in  Siam 
where  the  Brahmin  soothsayers  and  astrologers  are 
regarded  as  prominent  personages  and  consulted  upon 
every  important  occasion,  worship  in  their  own  tem- 
ples, full  of  grotesque  and  obscene  gods,  Indra,  Yishnu, 
Brahma  and  other  Hindu  divinities.  The  Siamese 
have  a  mixed  mythology,  mainly  derived  from  the 
Hindu;  their  gods  are  regarded  but  as  mortals  in  a 
superior  state  of  transmigration.  Among  other  things 
is  found  the  Trinitarian  idea  represented  by  Buddha, 
the  Law  and  the  Church,  also  superstitions  regarding 
Naga,  (the  snake,)  powerful  as  a  god  ;  angels  of  the  gate 
and  trees,  relic  worship  in  the  building  of  topes  or  para- 
ched  is,  the  worship  o'f  the  Pipul  or  sacred  Bo-tree,  deline- 
ated in  their  ancient  sculpture,  seemingly  one  of  the 
earliest  species  of  adoration,  such  as  the  intelligent 
Buddhist  of  to-day  tenders  to  the  images  of  the  great 
teacher :  the  worship  of  an  idea  through  a  symbol.  To 
the  uneducated  mind  there  seems  nothing  nobler  than 
the  monarch  of  the  forest.  In  its  branches  he  finds  shel- 
ter from  an  enemy  or  shade  from  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
its  foliage  inspires  him  with  the  idea  of  beauty,  while  its 
size  and  majestic  proportions  strike  him  with  awe  and 
he  venerates  it  as  a  symbol  of  Deity.  Picking  up  a 
blossom  that  had  fallen  from  its  sheltering  bough  and 
placing  it  on  a  stone,  to  preserve  its  beauty,  apparently 
originated  a  worship,  an  altar  and  a  sacrifice.  This 
probably  was  the  origin  of  tree  worship  and  upon  every 
festal  occasion  the  Bo-tree  is  decorated  with  the  yellow 
mantle  of  Buddha,  wreaths  of  flowers  and  lacon  images. 
It  has  been  held  by  some  writers  that  the  tenets  of 
Buddhism  are  the  same  as  the  Sankhya  and  other  schools 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  197 

of  philosophy  in  India,  which  is  incorrect.  While  both 
teach  that  the  great  object  of  man  is  to  destroy  the  mis- 
ery inseparable  from  ordinary  existence,  "neither  I  am, 
nor  is  ought  mine,"  and  those  systems  are  grounded  on 
transmigration,  the  belief  that  prevailed  in  India  three 
thousand  years  ago ;  the  former  recognized  the  exist- 
ence of  a  personal  God,  actively  interested  in  the 
world  and  making  his  law  known  by  revelation,  and 
that  man  was  imbued  with  a  soul,  which  is  incompatible 
with  Buddha's  teachings.  The  oldest  Buddhist  classics 
deal  but  little  in  metaphysical  niceties,  but  many  of 
them  have  since  the  days  of  Buddha  been  corrupted. 
Those  that  have  the  most  bearing  and  are  regarded  as 
the  true  text  of  the  teacher  are  the  stone  edicts  of 
King  Asaka,  in  the  third  century  before  Christ.  De- 
siring to  extend  the  Buddhist  religion  he  had  edicts 
cut  in  stone  and  disseminated  throughout  his  realms, 
which  have  been  deciphered  by  Princep  and  other 
oriental  scholars,  and  the^y  are  very  simple.  He  en- 
joins his  subjects  "Not  to  slay  animals;  to  plant  trees 
and  dig  wells  by  the  roadside  for  the  comfort  of  man 
and  beast;  the  appointment  of  teachers  to  superintend 
morals,  encourage  the  charitable  and  those  addicted  to 
virtue;"  orders  his  subjects  to  "hold  assemblies  for 
the  enforcement  of  moral  obligations  —  duty  to  parents, 
friends,  children,  relatives,  Brahmins  and  Sramanas 
(Buddhist  monks)."  "Liberality  is  good,  abstinence 
from  prodigality  and  slander  is  good,  non-injury 
of  living  creatures  is  good."  "The  beloved  of  the 
gods  (himself)  does  not  esteem  glory  and  fame  as  of 
great  value  ;  for  it  may  be  acquired  by  crafty  and  un- 
worthy persons."  "  To  me  there  is  not  satisfaction  in 
the  pursuit  of  wordly  affairs;  the  most  worthy  pursuit 


198  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

is  the  prosperity  of  the  whole  world.  My  endeavor  is  to 
be  blameless  to  all  creatures,  to  make  them  happy  here 
below,  and  to  enable  them  to  attain  Swarga (heaven)." 

This  last  edict  has  been  much  commented  on  as  he 
did  not  mention  Nirvana  only  Swarga.  the  place  to  be 
sought,  heaven. 

The  chief  point  and  belief  of  the  modern  Buddhist 
is  that  of  transmigration,  not  only  into  other  human 
states,  but  into  all  forms,  active  and  passive,  in  fact 
that  all  gods  and  animals,  men  and  brutes,  have  no  in- 
trinsic difference  between  them.  They  all  change 
places  according  to  their  merit  and  demerit.  They  ex- 
ist because  of  the  disturbance  caused  by  their  demerits. 
How  they  began  to  exist  is  not  even  asked ;  it  is  a 
question  pertaining  to  the  Infinite,  of  which  no  ex- 
planation is  attempted.  Even  in  dealing  with  the 
illustrious  being  who  afterwards  became  Buddha  no 
attempt  is  made  to  picture  a  beginning  of  his  existence, 
and  we  are  only  told  of  the  beginning  of  his  aspira- 
tions to  become  a  Buddha  and  the  countless  existences 
that  he  subsequently  passed  through  ere  he  achieved 
his  object.  The  teaching  on  this  point  is  the  equality 
of  all  beings,  that  the  relative  positions  of  all  beings  are 
perfectly  just,  being  self  caused  by  the  good  and  evil 
conduct  in  previous  existences  ;  that  if  a  good  man  is 
poor  and  wretched,  he  is  so  because  he  has  lived  evilly 
in  previous  generations  ;  if  a  bad  man  is  prosperous,  he 
is  so  because  he  had  lived  well  in  previous  generations. 
Having  declared  the  fact  of  transmigration  and  the 
principle  which  causes  its  various  states,  Buddhism 
teaches  that  there  is  no  real  or  permanent  satisfaction 
in  any  state  of  transmigration ;  that  neither  the  pain- 
less luxuries  of  the  lower  heavens,  nor  the  tranquility 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  199 

of  the  highest  angels  can  be  considered  as  happiness, 
for  they  will  have  an  end  followed  by  a  recurrence  of 
varied  and  frequently  sorrowful  existences,  thus  Budd- 
hists, rich  or  poor,  acknowledge  no  providence  and  see 
more  reason  to  lament  existence  than  to  be  grateful 
for  a  future  life.  Nirvana,  the  extinction  of  all  exist- 
ence, they  claim,  must  be  the  object  of  the  truly  wise 
man,  but  what  that  annihilation  is  has  not  been  clearly 
defined  and  has  been  the  subject  of  endless  contention. 
The  choicest  epithets  have  been  lavished  on  it  by  the 
Siamese,  such  as  "  Nirvana  is  a  place  of  comfort,  where 
there  is  no  care  ;  lovely  is  the  glorious  realm  of  Nir- 
vana;" also,  "  Jewelled  realm  of  happiness,  the  immor- 
tal Nirvana." 

One  of  the  pertinent  questions  propounded  by  the 
seeker  after  knowledge  is  "  how  to  attain  Nirvana  ? "  and 
the  closest  reasoners  have  reached  the  conclusion  that 
the  only  solution  is  that  as  our  every  thought  and  word 
and  act  is  voluntary,  or  the  result  of  desire,  and  must  be 
followed  by  its  effect,  we  must  annihilate  our  existence 
by  removing  all  cause  for  future  action,  eradicate  all 
desire,  and  then  Nirvana  may  be  attained.  It  is  claimed 
that  ignorance  is  the  first  cause  of  which  worldly  desire 
is  but  the  effect,  but  Buddha  had  nothing  to  do  with 
anything  that  pertained  to  the  Infinite,  hence  it  is 
argued  had  it  not  been  for  ignorance  of  the  future,  all 
beings  having  perceived  that  Nirvana  was  the  only 
object  desirable  would  have  destroyed  all  that  prevented 
its  attainment,  in  fact  would  have  destroyed  existence. 

The  four  emnient  truths  of  Buddhism  are  termed 
the  "  Four  Paths  and  the  Four  Fruits,"  or  the  four 
highest  degrees  of  saintship,  viz :  First,  Srota  apatti — 
"the  state  of  entering  into  the  stream  of  wisdom," 


200  THE   PEABL   OF   ASIA. 

The  saint  who  has  attained  this  cannot  have  more  than 
seven  births  among  men  and  angels  before  he  enters 
Nirvana. 

Second,  Sakridagamin — "  he  who  must  come  back 
once."  After  attaining  this  degree  there  will  be  only 
one  birth  among  men  or  angels  before  reaching 
Nirvana. 

Third,  Anagamin — "he  will  not  come  back."  There 
will  be  another  birth,  but  not  in  the  worlds  of 
sensuality.  From  the  heavens  of  the  Brahmins  Nirvana 
will  be  attained. 

Fourth,  Arhat  "the  venerable."  This  is  the  perfect 
saint  who  will  pass  to  Nirvana  without  further  birth. 

These  four  "truths"  only  assert  that  purity  is  essential 
to  the  entering  into  the  paths  of  the  saints  and  that 
men  by  countless  births  can  become  a  Buddha,  a  teacher 
of  the  paths,  but  the  majority  of  those  who  enter  the 
paths  are  only  led  into  them  by  the  personal  influence  of 
a  Buddha,  then  by  the  inherent  power  of  their  accumu- 
lated merit  they  will  be  born  to  meet  a  Buddha  and  by 
his  teachings  be  led  into  the  paths  of  the  saints;  the 
object  of  men  must  therefore  be  the  accumulation  of 
merit  and  repression  of  demerit,  thus  Buddha  incul- 
cates a  virtuous  and  self-sacrificing  life,  the  practice  of 
charity  and  the  exercise  of  meditation,  and  all  writers 
award  the  highest  praise  to  the  moral  teaching  of  this 
great  religion,  of  which  the  following  are  the  five 
principal  commandments,  viz.: 

First:     Not  to  destroy  life. 

Second:  Not  to  obtain  another's  property  by  unjust 
means. 

Third:  Not  to  indulge  the  passions  so  as  to  invade 
the  legal  or  natural  rights  of  other  men. 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  201 

Fourth:     Not  to  tell  lies. 

Fifth:     Not  to  partake  of  anything  intoxicating. 

Other  commandments  relate  to  the  repression  of 
personal  vanity,  greed,  fondness  for  luxury,  etc.,  and 
among  evil  tendencies,  especially  singled  out  for  re- 
probation, is  covetousness,  anger,  folly,  sensuality, 
arrogance,  want  of  veneration,  scepticism  and  ingrati- 
tude. These  bad  qualities  are  personified  as  leaders  of 
the  army  of  Mara,  the  evil  one,  who,  with  a  curious 
parallelism  to  our  legend  of  Satan,  is  made  out  to  be  an 
archangel  of  a  heaven  even  higher  than  that  of  the 
beneficent  Indra.  Charity  seems  to  be  the  main  pillar 
in  the  Buddhistic  edifice,  the  whole  character  of  Buddha 
is  full  of  charity,  insomuch  that  although  his  perfection 
was  such  that  at  almost  an  infinite  period  before  he 
became  Buddha  he  might,  during  the  teaching  of  an 
earlier  Buddha,  have  escaped  from  the  current  of 
existence,  which  he  regarded  as  misery,  he  remained 
in  that  current  and  passed  through  countless  painful 
transmigrations  in  order  that  he  might  ultimately 
benefit  not  himself  but  all  other  beings  by  becoming  a 
Buddha  and  helping  all  those  whose  ripe  merits  could 
only  be  perfected  by  the  teachings  of  a  Buddha.  The 
number  of  former  Buddhas  is  countless,  but  they  are 
all  supposed  to  have  lived  and  taught  in  the  same 
manner.  There  is  a  history  of  the  last  twenty-four 
Buddhas  preceeding  Gotama  Buddha,  supposed  to  have 
been  related  by  him.  Twenty-one  of  the  number 
appeared  in  eleven  previous  conditions  of  the  world, 
which,  they  claim,  is  periodically  destroyed  and 
recreated  by  the  influence  of  merit  and  demerit.  In 
some  of  these  eleven  creations  only  one  Buddha 
appeared;  in  others  two,  three  or  four.  The  present 


202  THE   PEARL   OF  ASIA. 

creation  is  highly  fortunate,  as  it  will  number  five.  Of 
these  three:  Kakusandha,  Ronagamma  and  Kasyappa, 
preceeded  Buddha,  and  Maitra  Buddha  will  follow  him 
after  his  doctrine  will  have  been  forgotten. 

Meditation  is  regarded  as  the  highest  means  of  self 
improvement  and  is  represented  in  three  classes :  Kam- 
mathan,  Bhavanah  and  Dhyana.  The  first,  by  medi- 
tation on  the  nature  of  elementary  substances,  leading 
to  the  thorough  appreciation  of  the  unsatisfactoriness ; 
the  second,  to  the  characteristics  of  charity,  pity,  joy, 
sorrow  and  equanimity,  leading  the  mind  to  a  pure 
state  of  intellectuality ;  the  third,  that  each  step,  ac- 
companied by  a  state  of  ecstacy  or  trance,  is  supposed, 
during  its  continuance  to  remove  man  from  the  sub- 
jugation of  the  ordinary  laws  of  nature,  so  much  so 
that  he  would  become  a  master  of  magical  arts,  such 
as  flying,  becoming  invisible,  changing  his  form,  etc. 
King  Monkut  laughed  at  such  fables  and  remarked 
that  "there  are  no  such  saints  nowadays,"  that  there 
were  none  that  could  achieve  the  state,  of  Dhyana. 
With  meditation  was  devised  by  its  founders  the 
system  that  facilitated  its  practice,  monastic  asceticism, 
but  the  monastic  vow  is  not  binding  for  life. 

Prayer  is  not  necessarily  a  Buddhist  practice,  as  they 
have  no  divine  being  to  pray  to.  What  has  been 
termed  prayer  by  Bishop  Pallegoi,  and  others  are 
merely  sentences  from  the  Pali  for  repetition,  a  list  of 
the  thirty-two  elements  into  which  their  philosophers 
resolve  the  human  body,  the  repetition  of  which  is 
supposed  to  assist  meditation  on  the  vanity  and  misery 
of  existence ;  a  list  of  the  epithets  of  Buddha  designed 
to  help  meditation  on  the  excellence  of  his  teachings, 
and  the  creed  or  profession  of  belief  in  Buddha,  his 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  203 

law  and  his  church.  It  is  customary  for  the  monks  to 
recite  formulas  of  this  kind,  but  it  cannot  properly  be 
called  prayer.  Invocations  to  a  Buddha  are  frequently 
mentioned,  for  instance  Maia's  desire,  the  mother  of 
Buddha,  expressed  to  the  former  Buddha,  Wipassi  :* 
"May  I  be,  in  some  after  generation,  the  mother  of 
a  Buddha  like  thyself;"  or  the  incident  of  Buddha 
throwing  into  the  air  his  locks  that  he  had  just  cut  off, 
crying,  "If,  indeed,  I  am  about  to  attain  the  Buddha- 
hood,  let  these  locks  remain  suspended  in  the  air,"  and 
they  remained  suspended  by  his  excessive  merit.  It 
seems  that  a  species  of  prayer  has  sprung  up  from  the 
superstitions  that  have  been  engrafted  on  Buddhism, 
as  is  recorded  the  appeal  of  the  girl  Suchada,  to  the 
angels  of  the  tree,  to  grant  her  "a  happy  marriage  and 
a  male  child."  The  Siamese  are  angel  worshippers, 
many  of  them  ignorant  of  the  tenets  of  their  own 
religion,  pray  not  only  to  angels  but  to  Buddha  and 
worship  him  with  offerings,  as  they  do  the  spirits  of 
the  air  that  they  suppose  is  always  hovering  about 
them,  but  the  monks  only  recite  the  montras,  that  is 
verses  and  other  formulas,  which  are  mainly  written  in 
the  Pali,  and  many  of  them  do  not  understand  their 
meaning. 

The  sermons  of  Buddha  have  been  carefully  pre- 
served and  handed  down,  denoting  a  powerful  intellect. 
He  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  greatest  and  most 
original  thinkers  that  the  world  has  cognizance  of,  and 
his  scheme  of  salvation,  if  it  can  be  so  called,  was 
promulgated  at  a  time  when  superstition,  sophistry  and 
priestcraft  held  supreme  sway.  He  laid  down  his  scep- 

*In  Tumour's  "Pali  Annals,"  Wipassi  is  mentioned  as  the  nineteenth 
of  the  twenty-one  Buddhas,  Dipon^kara  having  been  the  earliest.  Since 
Wipassi's  time  the  world  has  been  twice  destroyed  and  re-created. 


204  THE   PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

ter  and  went  among  the  people  clad  as  a  mendicant 
and  without  the  charm,  rites  or  priestly  fancies  then  in 
vogue ;  in  fact  without  any  of  the  gods  that  men  loved 
and  trusted  ;  enunciated  a  creed  based  solely  on  the 
cardinal  principles  of  love  and  charity.  It  is  asserted  by 
the  leading  theologists  of  Siam  that  the  Lord  Buddha 
never  expressed  the  idea  that  his  religion  would  be 
universal,  "that  he  was  but  as  a  transient  gleam  of  light, 
indicating  the  path  of  truth.  His  religion  was  but  as  a 
stone  thrown  into  a  pool  covered  with  floating  weeds ; 
it  cleared  an  opening  through  which  the  pure  water 
was  seen,  but  the  effect  would  die  away  and  the  weeds 
close  up  as  before.  The  Lord  Buddha  saw  the  bright, 
the  exact,  the  abstruse,  the  difficult  course,  and  but  for 
the  persuasion  of  angels  would  not  have  attempted  to 
teach  that  which  he  considered  too  difficult  for  men  to 
follow."  As  a  fact  that  he  did  not  care  for  a  universal 
religion  he  taught  that  as  the  existence  of  this  world 
was  unsatisfactory  and  miserable  the  cessation  of  the 
renewal  of  the  species  was  not  a  matter  to  be  deplored, 
annihilation  meant  happiness.  Nearly  the  entire  East 
accepted  his  teachings  with  a  blind  idolatory,  but  most 
of  his  creed  was  afterward  overshadowed  by  the  monas- 
ticism  of  the  monks,  as  has  much  of  Christianity  been 
rendered  obscure  by  the  fabrications  of  priestly  crafts- 
men during  the  dark  ages.  The  great  question  ever 
uppermost  in  men's  minds  was  as  pertinent  then  as  now : 
"If  a  man  die  shall  he  live  again? "  the  higher  life ;  and 
Buddha  attempted  to  answer  it  in  his  first  recorded 
sermon,  which  is  translated  from  the  Pali  text  in  the 
so-called  Sutra  of  the  Foundation  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Eighteousness,  among  the  very  oldest  of  the  Buddhist 
records,  as  follows : 


THE   PEARL    OF   ASIA.  205 

"  There  are  two  extremes  which  the  man  who  has 
devoted  himself  to  the  higher  life  ought  not  to 
follow  —  the  habitual  practice,  on  the  one  hand,  of 
those  things  whose  attractions  depend  upon  the  passions 
and  especially  of  sensuality  (alow  and  gamma-pagan, 
way  of  seeking  gratification,  unworthy,  unprofitable 
and  fit  only  for  the  worldly  minded) ;  and  the  habitual 
practice,  on  the  other  hand,  of  asceticism  (or  self  mor- 
tification), which  is  not  only  painful,  but  as  unworthy 
and  unprofitable  as  the  other.  But  the  Tathagata  (the 
Buddha)  has  discovered  a  middle  path,  which  avoids 
these  two  extremities,  a  path  which  opens  the  eyes  and 
bestows  understanding,  which  leads  to  peace  of  mind, 
to  the  higher  wisdom,  to  full  enlightenment — in  a  word 
to  Nirvana.  And  this  path  is  the  noble  eight  fold 
path  of 

Eight  views,  A  harmless  livelihood, 

High  aims,  Perseverance  in  well-doing, 

Kindly  speech,  Intellectual  activity,  and 

Upright  conduct,  Earnest  thought. 

"  Birth,"  said  the  Teacher,  u  is  attended  with  pain, 
and  so  are  decay  and  disease  and  death.  Union  with 
the  unpleasant  is  painful  and  separation  from  the 
pleasant;  and  any  craving  that  is  unsatisfied  is  a 
condition  of  sorrow.  Now,  all  this  amounts,  in  short, 
to  this,  that  wherever  there  are  the  conditions  of  indi- 
viduality, there  are  the  conditions  of  sorrow.  This  is 
the  First  Truth,  the  truth  about  sorrow. 

"The  cause  of  sorrow  is  the  thirst  or  craving  which 
causes  the  renewal  of  individual  existence,  is  accom- 
panied by  evil,  and  is  ever  seeking  satisfaction,  now 
here,  now  there — that  is  to  say,  the  craving  either  for 
sensual  gratification,  or  for  continued  existence,  or  for 


206       .  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

the  cessation  of  existence.     This  is  the  Noble   Truth 
concerning  the  origin  of  sorrow. 

"  Deliverance  from  sorrow  is  the  complete  destruc- 
tion, the  laying  aside,  the  getting  rid  of,  the  being  free 
from,  the  harboring  no  longer  of,  this  passionate  crav- 
ing. This  is  the  Noble  Truth  concerning  the  destruc- 
tion of  sorrow. 

"The  path  which  leads  to  the  destruction  of  sorrow 
is  this  Noble  Eightfold  Path  alone — that  is  to  say,  right 
views,  high  aims,  kindly  speech,  upright  conduct,  a 
harmless  livelihood,  perseverance  in  well  doing,  intel- 
lectual activity,  and  earnest  thought.  This  is  the  No- 
ble Truth  of  the  Path  which  leads  to  the  destruction  of 
sorrow/' 

To  understand  this  sermon  a  person  should  be  well 
versed  iu  the  mythology  of  the  East  and  it  loses  much 
of  its  force  in  the  translation.  It  is  an  attempt  to  sug- 
gest to  the  Buddhist  the  course  he  must  pursue,  to 
point  out  to  him  the  obstacles  that  he  must  meet  in  his 
progress  along  the  Noble  Path.  The  Eight  Divisons 
of  the  Path  show  the  qualities  of  the  mind  that  he 
should  seduously  cultivate  so  tbat  he  can  successfully 
contend  against  the  Ten  Fetters :  Delusion  of  Self,  In- 
decision, Dependence  on  the  Efficacy  of  Rites  and  Cere- 
monies, Bodily  Passions,  111  Will  towards  Individuals, 
the  Highest  Fruit,  the  Supression  of  the  desire  for  a  fu- 
ture life  with  a  material  body,  the  Desire  for  a  future 
life  in  an  immaterial  world,  Pride,  Self  Righteousness, 
the  last  but  one  to  be  broken,  the  most  difficult  to  con- 
quer and  to  which  superior  minds  are  peculiarly  liable, 
Pharisees ;  and  lastly  is  placed  Ignorance.  When  all 
else  has  been  conquered  this  will  remain,  the  thorn  in 
the  flesh  of  the  wise  and  good,  the  last  enemy  and  bit- 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  207 

terest  foe  of  man.  As  the  Eight  Divisions  of  the  No- 
ble Path  show  him  his  duty  so  the  Ten  Fetters  point 
out  to  ^him  what  he  should  most  earnestly  contend 
against,  thus  from  the  two  combined  the  reader  can  get 
an  idea  of  the  state  of  mind  called  in  Buddhist  writings 
Arahatship,  or  the  Fruit  of  the  Noble  Eightfold  Path, 
the  state  of  a  man  made  perfect,  the  Noble  Path  tra- 
versed, all  the  Fetters  broken,  the  mind  purified  and 
Nirvana  attained. 

The  doctrines  of  Buddha  are  now  receiving  more  at- 
tention from  the  western  nations  than  ever  before, 
they  are  being  shorn  of  much  of  the  superstitions  that 
have  hitherto  surrounded  them  and  as  a  late  English 
writer,  T.  W.  Rhys  Davids,  truthfully  says : 

"  The  fact  is,  that  in  spite  of  the  general  belief  to  the 
contrary,  Christianity  is  at  heart  more  pessimist  even 
than  Buddhism.  To  the  majority  of  average  Chris- 
tians this  world  is  a  place  of  probation,  a  vale  of  tears, 
though  its  tears  will  be  wiped  away  and  its  sorrows 
changed  into  unutterable  joy  in  a  better  world  beyond. 
To  the  Buddhist  such  hopes  seem  to  be  without  foun- 
dation, to  indulge  in  them  is  only  possible  to  the  foolish 
and  ignorant ;  while  thus  to  despair  of  the  present  life, 
thus  to  postpone  the  highest  fruit  of  salvation  to  a  world 
beyond  the  grave  is  base,  unworthy  and  unwise.  Here 
and  now  according  to  the  Buddhist  we  are  to  seek  sal- 
vation, and  to  seek  it  in  right  views  and  high  aims, 
kindly  and  upright  behaviour,  a  harmless  livelihood, 
perseverance  in  well  doing,  intellectual  activity  and  ear- 
nest thought." 

Among  the  many  books  that  the  Buddhist  has 
hitherto  relied  on  as  orthodox  is  the  "  Traiphome^__the_ 
standard  work  on  Siamese  cosmogomy,  which  is  a 


208  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

collection  of  chapters  from  the  ancient  Yedas,  various 
extracts  from  the  Sutras,  parables,  proverbs  and 
fables,  which  were  collected  together  by  the  monks,  at 
an  early  day,  and  furnished  one  of  the  Kings,  a  convert 
of  Buddha,  as  the  actual  work  of  the  great  Teacher. 
The  people,  being  uneducated,  accepted  the 
"Traiphome"  as  it  came  from  their  hands  as  living 
truths,  with  all  of  its  fabulous  stories.  Among  others 
I  select  the  following  in  regard  to  transmigration: 

"  In  the  sacred  books  we  read  of  a  certain  rich 
merchant  who  was  not  a  Buddhist,  whose  death-bed 
thoughts  were  only  about  money.  The  result  of  his 
merit  and  demerit  caused  him  to  be  born  a  puppy  in 
the  very  house  that  had  belonged  to  him  when  a  man 
and  of  which  his  son  was  master.  One  day,  as  Buddha 
passed  the  house  collecting  alms,  the  puppy  ran  to  the 
gate  and  barked  and  the  Lord  called  to  it  'Tothai, 
Tothai,'  and  it  ran  and  laid  down  at  his  feet.  Then 
was  the  son  very  angry  at  the  insult  he  considered  to 
have  been  cast  against  his  father  by  giving  his  name  to 
a  dog  and  he  remonstrated  with  Buddha.  Buddha 
asked  him  t  Have  you  yet  found  the  money  your 
father  buried  during  his  life  ? '  He  answered  <  only 
a  part  of  it.5  '  Then  if  you  would  know  whether  or 
not  this  puppy  is  Tothai,  the  merchant,  treat  him  with 
great  respect  for  several  days  and  he  will  show  you.' 
And  the  young  man  did  so  and  the  dog  indicated  the 
place  where  the  treasure  was  hid  and  from  thence- 
forward the  son  of  Tothai  followed  the  teachings  of  the 
Lord  Buddha." 

Buddhists  believe  that  every  act,  word  or  thought 
has  its  consequence,  which  will  appear  sooner  or  later 
in  the  present  or  future  state,  that  merit  and  demerit 


THE   PEAEL   OF   ASIA.  209 

is  the  law  of  nature  or  guiding  power  with  which  they 
supply  the  place  of  God,  which  the  Siamese  called  Kam, 
sometimes  translated  fate  or  consequence.  Evil  acts 
will  produce  evil  consequences — that  is  a  man  will  have 
misfortune  in  this  world  or  an  evil  birth  in  hell  or  as 
an  animal  in  some  future  existence.  Good  acts  will 
result  in  general  good.  There  is  no  God  who  judges 
of  these  acts  and  rewards  recompense  or  punishment ; 
but  the  reward  or  punishment  is  simply  the  inevitable 
effect  of  Kanij  which  works  out  its  own  results.  The 
meritorious  and  demeritorious  Kam,  which  living 
beings  have  caused  to  exist  by  their  own  acts,  words, 
or  thoughts,  are  whether  their  fruits  be  joy  or  sorrow 
to  be  classed  under  three  heads. 

The  first,  is  the  Kam  of  which  creatures  will  have 
the  fruits  at  once  in  their  present  state  of  existence. 
The  second  is  the  Kam  with  which  creatures  will  have 
the  fruits  in  the  next  state  of  existence.  The  third, 
is  the  Kam  of  which  creatures  will  have  the  fruit  in 
future  states  of  existence  from  the  third  onward. 

Merit  or  demerit  will  cause  a  tendency  of  the  soul  in 
one  direction  sometimes  as  many  as  seven  births  and 
deaths,  which  will  be  followed  by  a  relapse  in  the  oppo- 
site direction  for  six  or  less  times  ;  such  is  the  way  of 
the  soul.  The  merit  of  a  single  act  of  charity  or  the 
demerit  of  the  slaughter  of  a  single  ant  will  be  followed 
by  one  of  these  three  Kams.  These  Kams  are  divided 
up  into  a  number  of  lesser  Kams  covering  almost  every 
transaction  of  life. 

The  question  being  asked  of  Chao  Phya  Thepakin, 

author  of  the  "  Kitchanukit,"  a  book,fixplainingmnny 

things,  "If  a  Inan    believes  in  a  future    existence, 
governed  by  Kam,  how  shall  he  make  merit  to  save 


210  THE    PEABL    OF    ASIA. 

himself  from  future  misery  ? "  The  answer  :  "  By 
following  the  teachings  of  Buddha,  the  holy  and  omnis- 
cient one  ;  the  teaching  which  praises  kindness  and 
compassion,  and  pleasure  in  the  general  happiness  of 
all  beings,  and  freedom  from  love  or  dislike  to  individ- 
uals, and  which  forbids  hatred  and  jealousy,  and  envy 
and  revenge  ;  the  religion  that  Than,  or  almsgiving  ; 
Sin,  or  rules  of  morality,  and  Bhawana,  or  simple  medi- 
tation ;  which,  with  fidelity  and  other  virtues,  are  the 
merits  of  an  ordinary  class  ;  and  the  firm  observance  of 
the  rules  of  the  priesthood,  which  is  merit  of  the 
highest  class." 

Comparing  the  commandments  of  Buddha  with  the 
laws  of  other  religions  he  observes  that  "theft,  adultery, 
lying  and  the  destruction  of  human  life  (with  excep- 
tions) are  regarded  as  sins  by  all  people ;  that  intoxi- 
cation is  only  forbidden  by  Buddhists,  Brahmins  and 
Mahometans,  and  that  the  destruction  of  life,  other  than 
human,  is  regarded  as  sin  by  none  but  Buddhists  and 
Brahmins,  believers  in  the  Buddha  Avatar."  In  regard 
to  the  vice  of  intoxication  he  says :  "It  is  a  cause  of 
the  heart  becoming  excited  and  overcome.  By  nature 
there  is  already  an  intoxication  in  man  caused  by  de- 
sire, anger,  and  folly ;  he  is  already  inclined  to  excess 
and  not  thoughtful  of  the  impermanence,  misery  and 
vanity  of  all  things.  If  we  stimulate  this  natural  in- 
toxication by  drinking  it  will  become  more  daring ; 
and  if  the  natural  inclination  is  to  anger,  anger  will 
become  excessive  and  acts  of  violence  and  murder  will 
result.  Similarly  with  other  inclinations.  The  drunken 
man  neither  thinks  of  future  retribution  nor  present 
punishment.  Again,  spirituous  liquors  cause  disease, 
and  short  life ;  and  the  use  of  them,  when  it  becomes  a 


THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA.  211 

habit,  cannot  be  dispensed  with  without  discomfort,  so 
that  men  spend  all  their  money  unprofitably  in  pur- 
chasing them  and  when  their  money  is  gone  become 
thieves  and  dacoits.  The  evil  is  both  future  and  im- 
mediate. 

"As  for  the  argument  that  it  is  customary  to  make 
offerings  of  spirituous  liquors  to  the  Dewa  angels  and 
that  that  practice  tells  in  favor  of  spirit  drinking,  I  can 
only  say  that  we  have  no  proof  that  the  angels  con- 
sume these  offerings ;  and  the  only  foundation  for  such 
a  supposition  is  the  statement  of  some  ancient  sages 
that  the  Asura  angels  of  Indra's  heavens  got  drunk, 
which,  after  all,  only  amounts  to  the  assertion  that  the 
Dewa  (or  sensual)  angels  resemble  men  in  their  taste  for 
liquor.  In  the  present  age  many  Americans  have  de- 
clared spirit-drinking  to  be  an  evil,  a  cause  of  much 
immediate  mischief  and  of  no  future  good.  The  Jews 
used  not  to  consider  spirit-drinking  a  sin,  but  Mahomet 
declared  that  Allah  had  ordered  him  to  forbid  its  use 
on  the  ground  that  if  they  went  to  heaven  they  would 
smell  so  offensively  that  the  angels  could  not  endure 
their  vicinity." 

Speaking  of  the  third  commandment,  lust,  he  says : 
"The  religion  of  Buddha  highly  commends  a  life  of 
chastity.  Buddha  stated  that  when  a  man  could  not 
remain  as  a  celibate,  if  he  took  but  one  wife  it  was  yet 
a  kind  of  chastity,  a  commendable  life ;  Buddha  also 
censured  polygamy,  as  involving  lust  and  ignorance, 
but  he  did  not  absolutely  forbid  it,  because  he  could 
not  say  there  was  any  actual  wrong  in  a  man  having  a 
number  of  wives  properly  acquired."  After  remarking 
that  women  as  well  as  men  can  enjoy  the  highest 
pleasures  of  heaven  and  that  there  may  be  a  change  of 


212  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

sex  with  a  change  of  state,  he  gives  his  views  of  the 
common  sensual  idea  of  heaven : 

"The  Hindoos,  who  live  in  countries  adjoining  the 
Mahometan  countries,  believe  that  in  heaven  every 
male  has  tens  and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  female 
attendants,  according  to  what  their  teachers  of  old 
taught  them  concerning  the  riches  of  heaven  and  their 
ideas  are  akin  to  that  of  the  Mahometans,  who  have 
held  out  great  inducements  to  men,  representing  the 
pleasures  that  would  result  from  their  religion ;  and 
the  Hindoo  teachers,  fearing  that  their  people  might 
be  excited  by  this  most  promising  new  doctrine, 
themselves  introduced  it  into  their  own  teaching. 
If  \ve  must  speak  the  truth  as  to  these  matters,  we  must 
say  that,  the  world  of  heaven  is  similar  to  that  of  man, 
only  differing  in  the  greater  amount  of  happiness 
enjoyed.  Angels  there  are  in  the  high  places  with  all 
the  apparel. and  train  of  their  dignity,  and  others  of 
lower  station  with  less  surroundings.  All  take  up  that 
position  which  is  due  to  their  previous  merits  and 
demerits.  Buddha  censured  concupiscence;  Buddha 
never  spoke  in  praise  of  heaven;  he  taught  of  but  one 
thing  as  worthy  of  praise  'the  extinction  of  sorrow.' 

"All  this  incoherent  account  of  heaven  is  but  the 
teaching  of  later  writers,  who  have  preached  the 
luxuries  and  rich  pleasures  of  heaven  in  hopes  there- 
by to  attract  men  into  the  paths  of  holiness  and  the 
attainment  of  sanctity.  We  cannot  say  where  heaven 
and  hell  are.  All  religions  hold  that  heaven  is  above 
the  world  and  hell  below  it,  and  every  one  of  them 
uses  heaven  to  work  on  men's  desires  and  hell  to 
frighten  them  with.  Some  hold  forth  more  horrors 
than  others,  acccording  to  the  craft  of  those  that 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  213 

designed  them,  to  constrain  men  by  acting  on  their  fears 
and  making  them  quake  and  tremble.  We.  cannot 
deny  the  existence  of  heaven  and  hell,  for  as  some  men 
in  this  world  certainly  live  well  and  others  live  ill,  to 
deny  the  existence  of  heaven  and  hell  would  be  to 
deprive  men's  works  of  their  result,  to  make  all  their 
good  deeds  utterly  lost  to  them.  "We  must  observe 
that  after  happiness  follows  sorrow,  after  heat  cold; 
they  are  things  by  nature  coupled.  If  after  death 
there  is  a  succession  of  existence,  there  must  be  states 
of  happiness  and  of  sorrow,  for  they  are  necessarily 
coupled  in  the  way  I  have  explained.  As  for  heaven 
being  above  the  earth  or  below  it  I  leave  intelligent 
people  to  come  to  their  own  conclusions,  but  as  to 
future  states  of  happiness  and  sorrow  I  feel  no  doubt 
whatever." 

Speaking  of  the  many  religions  and  disputes  now  in 
vogue  as  to  which  is  the  best,  he  says  it  "is  hard  for 
men  to  relinquish  their  first  ideas,  even  the  devil  wor- 
shippers, the  lowest  of  mankind,  have  faith  in  their 
own  belief  and  will  not  hear  those  who  would  teach 
them  differently."  Some  seem  to  change  their  belief  for 
personal  protection  and  benefit,  others  for  protection,  as 
is  the  case  of  the  French  Catholic  converts  in  Siam  ; 
some  who  have  listened  to  teaching  and  become  enlight- 
ened. On  this  subject  he  quotes  a  Sutra,  supposed  to 
be  one  of  the  sermons  of  Buddha,  as  follows: 

"  On  a  certain  occasion  the  Lord  Buddha  led  a  number 
of  his  disciples  to  a  village  of  the  Kalmachon,  where 
his  wisdom  and  merit  and  holiness  were  known.  And 
the  Kalmachon  assembled,  and  did  homage  to  him 
and  said  many  priests  and  Brahmins  have  at  different 


214  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

times  visited  us  and  explained  their  religious  tenets, 
declaring  them  to  be  excellent  but  each  abused  the  tenets 
of  every  one  else,  whereupon  we  are  in  doubt  as  to 
whose  religon  is  right  and  whose  wrong ;  but  we  have 
heard  that  the  Lord  Buddha  teaches  an  excellent 
religion,  and  we  beg  that  we  may  be  freed  from 
doubt,  and  learn  the  truth. 

"  And  the  Lord  Buddha  answered,  '  You  were  right 
to  doubt,  for  it  was  a  doubtful  matter.  I  say  unto  all 
of  you,  do  not  believe  in  what  ye  have  heard ;  that  is, 
when  you  have  heard  any  one  say  this  is  especially 
good  or  extremely  bad  ,  do  not  reason  with  yourselves 
that  if  it  had  not  been  true,  it  would  not  have  been 
asserted,  and  so  believe  in  its  truth.  Neither  have 
faith  in  traditions,  because  they  have  been  handed 
down  for  many  generations  and  in  many  places. 

"'Do  not  believe  in  anything  because  it  is  rumored 
and  spoken  of  by  many ;  do  not  think  that  it  is  a  proof 
of  its  truth. 

" '  Do  not  believe  merely  because  the  written  state- 
ment of  some  old  sage  is  produced ;  do  not  be  sure  that 
the  writing  has  ever  been  revised  by  the  said  sage,  or  can 
be  relied  on.  Do  not  believe  in  what  you  have  fancied, 
thinking  that  because  an  idea  is  extraordinary  it  must 
have  been  implanted  by  a  Dewa,  or  some  wonderful 
being. 

" '  Do  not  believe  in  guesses,  that  is,  assuming  some- 
thing at  hap-hazard  as  a  starting  point  draw  your  conclu- 
sion from  it;  reckoning  your  two  and  your  three  and  your 
four  before  you  have  fixed  your  number  one.  Do  not 
believe  because  you  think  there  is  analogy,  that  is  a 
suitability  in  things  and  occurences,  such  as  believing 
that  as  there  must  be  walls  of  the  world,  because  you 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  215 

see  water  in  a  basin,  or  that  Mount  Meru  must  exist, 
because  you  have  seen  the  reflection  of  trees,  or  that 
there  must  be  a  creating  God,  because  houses  and 
towns  have  builders. 

" '  Do  not  believe  in  the  truth  of  that  to  which  you 
have  become  attached  by  habit,  as  every  nation  believes 
in  the  superiority  of  its  own  dress  and  ornaments  and 
language. 

"  '  Do  not  believe  because  your  informant  appears  to 
be  a  credible  person  as,  for  instance,  when  you  see  any 
one  having  a  very  sharp  appearance  conclude  that  he 
must  be  clever  and  trustworthy;  or  when  you  see  any 
one  who  has  powers  and  abilities  beyond  what  men 
generally  possess,  believe  in  what  he  tells.  •  Or  think 
that  a  great  nobleman  is  to  be  believed,  as  he  would  not 
be  raised  by  the  King  to  high  station  unless  he  were  a 
good  man. 

"  *  Do  not  believe  merely  on  the  authority  of  your 
teachers  and  masters,  or  believe  and  practise  merely 
because  they  believe  and  practise.  I  tell  you  all,  you 
must  of  your  own  selves  know  that  this  is  evil,  this  is 
punishable,  this  is  censured  by  wise  men,  belief  in  this 
will  bring  no  advantage  to  one,  but  will  cause  sorrow. 
And  when  you  know  this,  then  eschew  it. 

"  <  I  say  to  all  of  you  dwellers  in  this  village,  answer 
me  this.  Lopho,  that  is  covetousness ;  Thoso,  that 
is  anger  and  savageness,  and  Moho,  that  is  ignorance 
and  folly,  when  any  or  all  of  these  arise  in  the  hearts  of 
men,  is  the  result  beneficial  or  the  reverse  ? ' 

"  And  they  answered,  'It  is  not  beneficial  O  Lord.' 

"  Then  the  Lord  continued,  Covetous,  passionate, 
and  ignorant  men  destroy  life  and  steal,  and  commit 


216  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

adultery  and  tell  lies,  and  incite  others  to  follow  their 
example,  is  it  not  so  ? ' 

"  And  they  answered,  'It  is  as  the  Lord  says.' 

"  And  he  continued,  '  Covetousness,  passion,  ignor- 
ance, the  destruction  of  life,  theft,  adultery,  and  lying, 
are  these  good  or  bad,  right  or  wrong  ?  Do  wise  men 
praise  or  blame  them  ?  Are  they  not  unprofitable,  and 
causes  of  sorrow  ? ' 

"  And  they  replied,  '  It  is  as  the  Lord  has  spoken.' 

"  And  the  Lord  said,  'For  this  I  said  to  you,  do  not 
believe  merely  because  you  have  heard,  but  when  of 
your  own  consciousness  you  know  a  thing  to  be  evil, 
abstain  from  it.' 

"  And  then  the  Lord  taught  of  that  which  is  good^ 
saying,  l  If  any  of  you  know  of  yourselves  that  any- 
thing is  good  and  not  evil,  praised  by  wise  men,  ad- 
vantageous, and  productive  of  happiness,  then  act 
abundantly  according  to  your  belief.  Now  1  ask  you, 
Alopho,  absence  of  covetousness ;  Athoso,  absence  of 
passion ;  Amoho,  absence  of  folly,  are  these  profitable 
or  not?' 

"And  they  answered,  'Profitable.' 

"  The  Lord  continued,  'Men  who  are  not  covetous,  or 
passionate,  or  foolish,  will  not  destroy  life,  nor  steal, 
nor  commit  adultery,  nor  tell  lies,  is  it  not  so  ?  ' 

"  And  they  answered, '  It  is  as  the  Lord  says.' 

"Then  the  Lord  asked,  'Is  freedom  from  covetousness, 
passion  and  folly,  from  destruction  of  life,  theft,  adul- 
tery and  lying,  good  or  bad,  right  or  wrong,  praised  or 
blamed  by  wise  men,  profitable  and  tending  to  happi- 
ness or  not  ? ' 

"  And  they  replied,  'It  is  good,  right,  praised  by  the 
wise,  profitable  and  tending  to  happiness.' 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  217 

"  And  the  Lord  said,  '  For  this  I  taught  you  not  to 
believe  merely  because  you  have  heard,  but  when  you 
believed  of  your  consciousness  then  to  act  accordingly 
and  abundantly/ 

"  And  the  Lord  continued,  'The  holy  man  must  not 
be  covetous,  or  revengeful  or  foolish,  and  he  must  be 
versed  in  the  four  virtuous  inclinations  (Phrommawi- 
han),  which  are  Meta,  desiring  for  all  living  things 
the  same  happiness  which  one  seeks  for  one's  self; 
Karuna,  training  the  mind  in  compassion  towards  all 
living  things,  desiring  that  they  may  escape  all  sorrows 
either  in  hell  or  in  other  existences,  just  as  a  man 
who  sees  his  friend  ill,  desires  nothing  so  much  as  his 
recovery;  Muthita,  taking  pleasure  in  all  living 
things,  just  as  playmates  are  glad  when  they  see  one 
another;  and  Ubekkha,  keeping  the  mind  balanced 
and  impartial,  with  no  affection  for  one  more  than 
another." 

From  another  Sutra  he  extracts  the  following  pass- 
age. "  Can  you  respect  or  believe  in  religions  which 
recommend  actions  that  bring  happiness  to  one's  self 
by  causing  sorrow  to  others,  or  happiness  to  others  by 
sorrow  to  one's  self,  or  sorrow  to  both  one's  self  and 
to  others  ?  Is  not  that  a  better  religion  which  pro- 
motes the  happiness  of  others  simultaneously  with  the 
happiness  of  one's  self  and  tolerates  no  oppression  ?  " 

Much  of  the  "Kitchanukit"  was  inspired  by  the  late 
King  Monkut,  who  had  been  a  monk  for  twenty-seven 
years,  entering  the  priesthood  at  the  age  of  twenty, 
during  which  time  he  perfected  himself  in  the  English 
language  and  made  the  religions  of  the  world  his  special 
study,  bringing  to  bear  upon  them  an  able  and  vigorous 
mind,  hence  the  "Kitchanukit,"  or  Modern  Buddhist, 


218  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

is  considered  as  the  views  of  a  deep  thinker  and  close 
reasoner,  typifying  the  primitive  creed  as  taught  by 
the  Buddha,  shorn  of  most  of  the  superstitions  and 
fables  injected  into  it  by  designing  men.  It  is  an 
extensive  work  and  enters  into  all  the  details  of  the 
writer's  researches  and  seems  to  have  been  written  to 
answer  some  of  the  arguments  advanced  by  the  mis- 
sionaries with  whom  the  King  and  Choo  Phya  The- 
paken  held  many  conferences  in  regard  to  the  merits 
of  Christianity  and  the  teachings  of  Buddha,  and  the 
author  acknowledges  that  he  has  received  much  valu- 
able information  from  them,  but  in  answer  to  their 
arguments  he  tells  them  "that  Buddha  taught  a  moral- 
ity as  beautiful  as  theirs  and  a  charity  that  extends  to 
everything  that  has  breath."  When  they  speak  of 
faith,  he  answers  "that  by  the  light  of  the  knowledge 
that  they  have  helped  him  to  he  can  weed  out  his  old 
superstitions,  but  that  he  will  accept  no  new  ones." 

The  following  significant  passages  sum  up  the  theory 
of  the  Buddhist's  belief  concerning  the  unseen  God : 
"What  is  this  unseen  God,  personified  by  the  The- 
ists  (Keks)  as  God,  The  Creator,  the  Divine  Spirit, 
and  the  Divine  Intelligence  ?  It  seems  to  me  that  this 
Divine  Spirit  (Pra  Chitr)  is  but  the  actual  spirit  of 
man,  the  disposition,  be  it  good  or  evil,  and  I  think 
that  the  Divine  Intelligence  (Phra  Winyan)  which  is 
said  to  exist  in  the  light  and  in  the  darkness,  in  all 
times  and  in  all  places,  is  the  intelligence  which  flies 
forth  from  the  six  gates  of  the  body,  the  faculties  of 
sight,  hearing,  smell,  taste,  touch  and  knowledge, 
whose  intelligence  exists  in  all  places  and  at  all  times, 
and  knows  the  good  and  evil  which  man  does.  And 
God  the  Creator  (Pra  phu  sang)  is  the  Holy  Merit  and 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  219 

Demerit  (Pra  Kusala  a-kusala),  the  cause  and  shaper  of 
all  existence.  Those  who  have  not  duly  pondered  on 
these  matters  may  say  that  there  is  a  God  who  exists 
in  all  places  waiting  to  give  men  the  reward  or  punish- 
ment due  to  their  good  or  evil  deeds,  or  they  may  say 
that  prosperity  and  adversity  are  the  work  of  angels 
or  devils ;  but  to  me  it  seems  that  all  happiness  and 
misery  are  the  natural  result  of  causation  (Kam)  which 
influences  the  present  existence  and  will  determine  the 
nature  of  the  next  existence. 

"  How  can  we  assent  to  the  doctrine  of  those  who 
believe  in  but  one  resurrection — who  believe  in  a  man 
being  received  into  heaven  while  his  nature  is  still  full 
of  impurity,  by  virtue  of  sprinkling  his  head  with 
water  or  cutting  off  by  circumcision  a  small  piece  of 
his  skin  ?  Will  such  a  man  be  purified  by  the  merit  of 
the  Lord  Allah  or  of  the  Great  Brahma?  We  know 
not  where  they  are.  We  have  never  seen  them.  But 
we  do  know,  and  can  prove,  that  men  can  purify  their 
own  natures,  and  we  know  the  laws  by  which  that 
purification  can  be  effected.  Is  it  not  better  to  believe 
in  this  which  we  can  see  and  know,  than  in  that  which 
has  no  reality  to  our  perceptions  ? " 

In  concluding  his  review  of  the  modern  Buddhist  ]VIr^ 
Alabaster  says  "  The  religion  of  Buddha  meddled  not 
~^v!1iIftJie~beginning,  which  it  could  not  fathom  ;  avoided 
the  action  of  a  Deity  it  could  not  perceive ;  and  left 
open  to  endless  discussion  that  problem  which  it  could 
not  solve,  the  ultimate  reward  of  the  perfect.  It  dealt 
with  life  as  it  found  it ;  it  declared  all  good  which  led 
to  its  sole  object,  the  diminution  of  the  misery  of  all 
sentient  beings ;  it  laid  down  rules  of  conduct  which 
have  never  been  surpassed,  and  held  out  reasonable 


> 


I 

I 

NT 

j 


220  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

hopes  of  a  future  of  the  most  perfect  happiness.  Its 
proofs  rest  on  the  assumptions  that  the  reason  of  man 
is  his  surest  guide  and  that  the  law  of  nature  is  perfect 
justice." 

With  all  of  their  adoration- of  Gautama  Buddha, 
his  followers  have  never  regarded  him  as  a  God,  he  is 
only  the  ideal  of  what  any  man  can  become,  and  this 
is  what  the  late  King  of  Siam  attempted  to  fix  in  the 
minds  of  his  people,  and  the  adoration  given  to  the 
supposed  relics  of  the  Teacher,  the  teeth  or  the  foot- 
prints, as  well  as  the  statues,  is  only  to  recall  the 
memory  of  him  who  trod  the  path  that  leads  to  deliver- 
ance. The  veneration  of  the  memory  of  Buddha  is 
perhaps  hardly  distinguishable  among  the  ignorant 
from  the  worship  of  a  God  ;  but  in  theory  the  ritual  is 
strictly  commemorative  and  does  not  necessarily 
denote  idolatry  any  more  than  the  blossoms  laid  on 
the  tomb  of  a  loved  one  by  the  hand  of  affection.  The 
strict  Buddhist  believes  that  by  the  exercise  of  virtue, 
austerity  and  science  men  may  acquire  power  sufficient 
to  make  the  gods  quake  on  their  thrones.  The  Siamese 
have  no  fears  of  the  missionaries  making  any  encroach- 
ments on  their  religion,  they  encourage  missionaries  to 
come  among  them,  and  with  the  peculiar  tact  of  the 
Asiatic  make  as  much  out  of  them  as  possible,  and  they 
are  particularly  anxious  to  have  the  Board  of  Missions 
send  them  physicians  to  attend  their  sick  and  furnish 
medicines  free.  Prince  Dumrong,  when  informed  that 
if  he  should  send  some  young  nobles  to  America  to 
study  medicine  that  they  would  have  to  associate  with 
Christians  and  possibly  partake  of  the  tenets  of  our 
creed,  replied,  "That  is  of  but  little  consequence,  what 
religious  ideas  that  they  may  pick  up  would  be  for- 


THE    PEAEL    OF    ASIA.  221 

gotten  in  a  month  after  they  return."  And  so  it 
would.  The  teachings  of  Buddha  are  peculiarly 
adapted  to  an  oriental  people  and  the  missionary  labors 
on  stony  ground  and  his  harvest  is  a  meagre  one. 

To  King  Monkut  are  the  Siamese  indebted  for  a 
more  liberal  and  progressive  idea  of  Buddhism  ;  he  is  the 
Luther  of  a  reform  in  that  religion.  For  twenty-one 
years  he  was  a  recluse  in  a  monastery,  its  chief  priest, 
during  which  time,  after  much  study,  he  arrived  at  the 
conclusion  that  it  was  folly  for  him  or  the  priests  to 
longer  attempt  to  prove  the  genuineness  of  the  85,000 
volumes  of  sacred  books  which  were  regarded  canonical. 
With  a  boldness  unusual  in  a  son  of  the  sunland  he 
enunciated  his  belief  of  their  fabulous  origin  and  his 
desire  to  purge  the  sacred  literature  of  fables  and 
restore  the  church  to  its  former  purity.  He  soon 
found  himself  at  the  head  of  a  new  school,  which 
rapidly  increased  in  popularity,  numbering  among  his 
followers  most  of  the  advanced  thinkers  and  prominent 
men  of  his  age.  After  a  thorough  investigation 
he  was  astounded  at  the  mysticism  and  priest- 
craft that  had  been  the  prurient  growth  of  the  mon- 
asteries; he  and  his  followers  rejected  thousands 
of  the  old  school  books  as  unorthodox,  especially  those 
that  could  not  be  made  to  harmonize  with  the  cosmo- 
graphy of  the-  universe  as  now  held  by  the  scientific 
world.  This  new  school  was  far  more  enlightened, 
liberal  and  expansive  than  the  old  and  is  to-day  the 
ruling  doctrine  of  the  entire  kingdom.  When  it  was 
thought  that  the  Prince  was  leaning  toward  Christianity 
he  wrote  to  one  of  the  missionaries,  "  You  must  not 
think  that  any  of  my  party  will  ever  become  Chris- 
tians ;  we  will  not  embrace  what  we  think  is  a  foolish 


222  THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

/religion."  On  the  day  of  his  death  he  wrote  a  fare- 
well address  to  the  priesthood,  the  spirit  of  which  was 
that  "  all  existence  is  unreliable,  everything  mutable, 
that  he  himself  would  presently  be  obliged  to  submit 
to  that  stern  necessity,  going  a  little  before  them." 
Just  as  his  spirit  was  trembling  on  the  threshold  of  the 
unseen  he  said  to  his  sorrowing  attendants,  "Do  not 
be  surprised  or  grieved  by  my  thus  leaving  you,  since 
such  an  event  must  befall  all  creatures  who  come  into 
this  world,  and  is  an  unchanging  inevitability "  and 
thus  passed  away  one  of  the  most  profound  scholars 
and  philosophers  of  the  East,  who  did  much  for  his 
people,  the  Luther  of  Buddhism. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  liberal  toleration  of  King 
Chulalongkorn,  in  regard  to  religious  matters,  in  1870 
he  issued  a  proclamation  concerning  the  morals 
of  his  people  and  closed  with  the  following 
noble  sentiments  which,  at  the  time,  was  regarded  as 
an  advanced  step  in  religious  matters :  "  In  regard  to 
the  concern  of  seeking  and  holding  a  religion  that 
shall  be  a  refuge  to  yourself  in  this  life,  it  is  a  good  con- 
cern, and  exceedingly  appropriate  and  suitable  that 
you  all — every  individual  of  you — should  investigate 
and  judge  for  himself  according  to  his  own  wisdom 
(  what  is  right  and  what  is  wrong).  And  when  you 
see  any  religion  whatever,  or  any  company  of  religion- 
ists whatever,  likely  to  be  of  advantage  to  yourself — a 
refuge  in  accord  with  your  own  wisdom, — hold  to  that 
religion  with  your  own  heart.  Hold  it  not  \vith  a 
shallow  mind — with  but  slight  investigation — with 
mere  guess  work,  or  because  of  its  general  popularity, 
or  from  mere  tradition,  saying  that  it  is  the  custom 
held  from  time  immemorial,  and  do  not  hold  a  religion 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  223 

that  you  have  not  good  evidence  is  true  and  then 
frighten  men's  fears  and  flatter  their  hopes  by  it.  Do 
not  be  frightened  and  astonished  at  diverse  events 
(fictitious  wonders)  and  hold  to  and  follow  them. 
When  you  shall  have  obtained  a  refuge,  a  religious 
faith  that  is  beautiful  and  good  and  suitable,  hold  to 
it  with  great  joy  and  follow  its  teachings,  it  will  be  a 
cause  of  prosperity  to  each  one  of  you." 

Each  priest  carries  a  spoon  shaped  fan  which  he 
holds  before  his  face  shutting  out  from  his  sight 
objects  which  might  disturb  his  thoughts.  It  is  one  of 
the  rules  of  the  monks  that  when  he  walks  abroad  he 
must  keep  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  ground  within  a  plough 
length  of  his  feet.  Some  of  the  strict  ascetics  make  a 
circle  about  eighteen  inches  in  circumference  on  the 
floor  and  steadily  keeping  their  eyes  on  it  for  hours  at 
a  time  do  not  allow  their  thoughts  to  stray  from  that 
small  circle,  a  type  of  the  Chokra,  a  quoit  like  weapon, 
emblem  of  the  power  of  Indra,  King  of  the  Angels, 
known  as  the  "  wheel  of  the  law,"  which  is  supposed 
to  be  e'  3r  turning  and  represents  the  continual  ex- 
istence oi  ransrnigration.  This  mystic  wheel  is  stamped 
on  the  co\  of  Siam,  is  found  sculptured  on  the  walls 
of  ruined  temples  of  a  forgotten  era,  and  its  wings  or 
spokes  are  called  Nedanas  or  the  twelve  causes  and 
effects  of  life,  the  circle  of  existence.  The  favorite 
expression  "  turning  the  wheel,"  means  to  teach  the 
law.  Some  of  the  northern  Buddhists  have  a  wheel  to 
which  is  attached  a  box  full  of  texts,  which  they 
revolve  at  pleasure ;  others  fasten  them  on  miniature 
water  wheels  and  place  them  in  a  running  stream 
thus  praying  by  machinery. 


XXIII. 

A  TRANSLATION  FEOM  THE  PO1STGSA- 
WADAN, 

OB    HISTORY    OF    THE    KINGS    OF    SIAM. 

In  the  year  of  the  cock  1019  (=A.  D.  1658)  a  French 
ship  captain  came  with  merchandise  in  his  vessel  to 
Siam  to  trade.  About  that  time  the  King  of  Siam 
was  building  a  large  ship.  When  it  was  finished  and 
all  ready  to  launch,  he  commanded  his  interpreters  to 
ask  the  French  merchant  how  they  launched  large  ves- 
sels most  successfully  in  France?  The  Frenchman 
being  a  man  of  intelligence,  and  having  great  exper- 
ience in  ship  carpentry,  answered,  that  he  would  volun- 
teer to  launch  the  vessel  himself ;  and  immediately  pre- 
pared a  tackle  and  capstan  with  which  he  drew  the  ves- 
sel out  into  the  water  with  the  greatest  .ease.  The 
king  was  much  pleased  and  rewarded  him  bountifully. 
Soon  after  this  the  king  made  him  an  officer  of  Govern- 
ment with  the  title  Looang  Wich'a-yen,  and  gave  him 
a  house  and  ensignia  of  office,  and  allowed  him  to  do 
the  king's  business.  Looang  Wich'a-yen  was  very 
faithful  in  all  his  duties  and  thereby  found  favor  with 
the  king.  He  was  afterward  promoted  and  received 
the  title  of  P'ra  Wich'a-yen.  Some  time  after  this, 
when  he  became  more  skillful  in  business,  the  king 
promoted  him  again,  and  gave  him  the  title  of  P'raya 
Wich'a-yen. 

One  day  the  king  asked  him  what  kind  of  valuable 

224 


K   m 


*     i 


The  High  Priest  of  Siam. 


226  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

you  are  a  man  of  considerable  intelligence,  I  will  send 
you  as  an  embassador  to  France  to  see  the  wealth  of 
the  king,  and  to  find  out  if  the  story  of  P'raya  Wich'a- 
yen  is  true.  Nai  Pan  bowed  himself  and  consented  to 
go  on  the  king's  business.  He  retired  from  the  royal 
presence,  and  began  to  prepare  the  ship  and  make 
preparations  for  the  journey.  He  sent  out  to  find  men 
that  were  skillful  in  the  various  magic  arts  to  accom 
pany  him.  He  found  a  teacher  who  was  learned  and 
skillful  in  the  various  cunning  and  magic  arts,  and  was 
a  drunkard,  who  consented  to  accompany  him.  Nai 
Pan  was  greatly  rejoiced  at  this.  He  then  engaged 
some  Frenchmen  and  others  for  officers  and  sailors  for 
his  ship. 

When  everything  was  in  readiness,  he  besought  his 
brother  Kosa  to  conduct  him  into  the  king's  presence, 
that  he  might  take  leave  of  his  Majesty.  The  king 
then  commanded  to  prepare  a  royal  letter,  and 
appointed  Nai  Pan  as  principal  embassador,  with 
others  to  convey  the  royal  letter  and  some  presents  to 
the  king  of  France,  and  make  a  treaty  of  friendship. 

On  a  favorable  day  Nai  Pan,  with  his  attendants, 
took  leave  of  their  friends,  and  conducting  his  whole 
company  on  board  the  ship  set  sail  for  France. 

When  they  had  been  out  at  sea  about  four  months, 
they  came  upon  a  large  whirlpool  in  their  course,  near 
the  mouth  of  a  river  on  the  coast  of  France.  There 
arose  a  storm  of  wind  which  carried  their  ship  into  the 
midst  of  the  whirlpool,  in  which  place  it  kept  whirling 
for  three  days.  All  on  board  the  ship  were  wailing 
with  loud  noise  on  account  of  the  danger  of  their  lives ; 
because  every  ship  that  came  into  the  whirl  must  be 
lost.  Not  one  had  ever  yet  escaped.  Nai  Pan  the 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  227 

first  embassador  alone  had  presence  of  mind,  and  con- 
suited  with  the  magician  teacher  thus : — Our  ship  has 
fallen  into  the  whirlpool  and  has  been  whirling  for  two 
or  three  days  ;  what  plan  can  you  devise  to  get  it  out 
in  safety,  that  we  may  all  escape  death  ?  The  magi- 
cian teacher  then  comforted  the  heart  of  the  embassa- 
dor saying,  fear  not.  I  will  most  certainly  bring  the  ship 
out  of  all  danger.  The  magician  teacher  prepared  some 
offerings,  lighted  papers,  and  dressed  himself  in  white 
robes  and  sat  down  to  meditate  (Samat'i  Chamron  P'ra 
Kamt'an  Tang  Wayo-krasin),  that  is,  fixed  his  mind 
exclusively  on  counting  his  breath.  Presently  there 
arose  a  great  wind  which  lifted  the  vessel  and  carried 
it  beyond  the  whirlpool.  They  were  all  greatly 
rejoiced  at  this  and  thence  sailed  safely  into  the  mouth 
of  the  river  of  France. 

They  then  sent  word  to  the  officers  of  that  place 
that  a  vessel  had  arrived  bringing  a  Siamese  embassy, 
with  a  letter  and  presents,  and  that  they  desired  to 
make  a  treaty  of  peace  with  the  French  king.  The 
Governor  of  that  town  forwarded  the  news  up  to  the 
capital. 

The  French  king  then  dispatched  an  officer  with  a 
boat  to  receive  the  Siamese  embassadors  and  bring 
them  up  to  the  city,  and  allowed  them  to  lodge  at  a 
hotel.  They  were  afterwards  admitted  to  the  presence 
of  the  king,  and  presented  the  letter  with  the  royal 
presents.  The  king  then  commanded  the  interpreters 
to  ask  them  about  their  voyage,  whether  they  came 
safely  or  not.  When  the  king  heard  that  their  vessel 
had  been  in  the  whirlpool  for  three  days,  and  had 
escaped  in  safety,  he  did  not  believe  it,  because  never 
before  had  a  single  vessel  escaped  from  that  whirl  of 


228  "THE  PEAKL  OF  ASIA. 

water.  The  king,  to  be  certain,  commanded  to  ask 
them  again.  The  chief  embassador  affirmed  that  it 
was  true;  but  the  king  did  not  yet  believe  it,  and  called 
the  Frenchmen  who  had  come  as  officers  of  the  ship 
and  inquired  of  them.  They  assured  the  king  that  it 
was  true.  His  majesty  thought  it  very  miraculous. 
The  king  then  asked  them  how  they  managed  to  get 
the  ship  out  of  the  whirlpool?  The  embassador 
answered,  I  besought  the  merit  and  power  of  their 
Majesties,  the  kings  of  Siam  and  France  to  assist,  and 
not  suffer  the  treaty  about  to  be  formed,  to  be 
destroyed.  It  was  this  power  and  merit  of  both 
Sovereigns,  in  which  we  trusted  that  caused  the  wind 
to  arise,  which  lifted  our  vessel  out  of  the  whirlpool. 

When  the  king  of  France  heard  this  he  believed  it, 
and  remarked  that  the  king  of  Siam  had  the  same 
amount  of  merit  with  himself. 

Some  time  after  this  the  king  sent  for  the  embassa- 
dors  to  come  into  the  royal  presence.  He  then  ordered 
a  company  of  500  soldiers — all  good  marksmen,  to  be 
drawn  up  and  placed  in  two  ranks,  directly  facing 
each  other — 250  on  a  side.  They  fired  simultaneously, 
and  each  man  on  either  side  lodged  his  ball  in  the  barrel 
of  the  gun  in  the  hands  of  the  man  opposite  to  him, 
without  a  single  failure.  The  king  then  asked  them  if 
they  had  any  as  good  soldiers — sharpshooters  as  these 
in  Siam?  The  chief  embassador  answered  that  the 
king  of  Siam  did  not  esteem  this  kind  of  skill  in  the  art 
as  worth  much  in  war.  When  the  king  of  France  heard 
this  he  was  displeased,  and  asked  them  what  kind  of 
skill  in  soldiers  did  the  king  of  Siam  value?  The  embassa- 
dor answered,  the  king  of  Siam  admires  soldiers  who 
are  well  skilled  in  the  magic  arts,  and  such  as,  if  good 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  229 

marksmen  like  your  Majesty's  soldiers  here,  would  fire 
at  them,  the  balls  would  not  touch  their  bodies.  His 
Majesty  the  king  of  Siam  has  some  soldiers  who  can  go 
unseen  into  the  midst  of  the  battle,  and  cut  off  the 
heads  of  the  officers  and  men  in  the  enemy's  ranks,  and 
return  unharmed.  He  has  others  who  can  stand  under 
the  weapons  of  the  enemy  to  be  shot  at,  or  pierced 
with  swords  and  spears  and  yet  not  receive  the  least 
wound  or  even  injury.  Soldiers  skilled  in  this  kind  of 
art,  the  king  of  Siam  values  very  highly,  and  keeps 
them  for  use  in  the  country. 

The  king  of  France  did  not  believe  this  story,  and 
remarked  that  the  Siamese  embassadors  were  boasting 
beyond  all  reason.  The  king  then  commanded  to  ask 
them  if  they  had  any  soldiers  skilled  in  this  kind  of  art 
along  with  them  in  the  ship?  and  could  they  give  a 
specimen  of  their  art? 

The  embassador  remembering  the  feat  of  the  magic 
teacher  in  lifting  their  ship  out  of  the  whirlpool, 
answered,  the  soldiers  we  have  along  for  use  in  the 
vessel  are  but  common  soldiers;  but  we  can  give  your 
Majesty  a  specimen  of  their  skill.  The  king  asked, 
what  can  they  do  ?  The  embassador  said,  I  beg  your 
Majesty  to  arrange  this  company  of  500  soldiers, 
sharp-shooters,  in  a  position  far  off,  and  near  as  they 
please,  to  fire  at  my  soldiers,  and  they  will  ward  off 
the  bullets,  and  not  suffer  a  single  one  to  touch  them. 

When  the  king  of  France  heard  this  proposal, 
fearing  lest  his  soldiers  would  kill  the  Siamese,  and 
thereby  destroy  the  treaty  of  friendship  about  to  be 
formed  between  them,  was  unwilling  to  make  the  trial. 
The  embassador  then  answered,  your  Majesty  need  not 
fear  in  the  least.  My  soldiers  really  have  an  art  by 


230  THE    PEAKL    OF    ASIA. 

which  they  can  ward  off  the  bullets,  and  not  suffer  one 
to  touch  them.  If  it  please  your  Majesty,  then  to- 
morrow let  them  prepare  a  platform  here,  having  an 
awning  of  white  cloth,  and  surrounded  with  flags,  and 
place  upon  the  platform  some  refreshments  and  wine; 
then  spread  the  word  and  let  all  the  people  of  the  town 
come  to  witness  my  feat. 

The  king  then  prepared  all  these  things  as  was 
requested.  The  following  day  the  embassador  reques- 
ted his  magic  teacher  to  select  and  prepare  sixteen 
persons  and  clothe  themselves  entirely  with  the  panoply 
of  figures  for  making  the  person  invulnerable,  the  teacher 
and  altogether  seventeen  persons.  When  every  thing 
was  ready  they  came  into  the  presence  of  the  king, 
and  took  seats  upon  the  platform.  He  then  addressed 
the  king, — if  it  please  your  Majesty  let  these  500  sharp- 
shooters shoot  these  seventeen  persons  seated  upon  the 
platform.  The  king  then  commanded  his  soldiers  to  fire. 

The  French  soldiers  then  fired  several  rounds,  some 
at  a  distance,  and  some  near,  but  the  powder  would  not 
ignite,  and  their  guns  made  no  report.  Those  seven- 
teen persons  uninjured,  partook  of  the  refreshments  on 
the  platform  without  the  least  fear  or  confusion.  The 
French  soldiers  were  wonderfully  surprised  and  startled . 
The  magic  teacher  then  said,  "  Don't  be  discouraged. 
Fire  again.  This  time  we  will  allow  the  guns  to  go 
off.  The  soldiers  then  fired  another  round.  Their 
guns  went  off  but  the  bullets  fell  to  the  ground,  some 
near  where  they  stood,  some  a  little  distance  farther, 
and  some  fell  near  the  Dlatform,  but  not  a  single  man 
was  injured. 

When  the  king  of  France  saw  this,  he  believed  all 
the  Siamese  embassadors  had  said,  and  praised  their 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  231 

arts  very  much,  remarking  he  had  never  seen  anything 
to  equal  it.  He  then  presented  the  Siamese  soldiers 
with  money  and  clothes  as  a  reward,  and  also  feasted 
them  bountifully.  From  this  time  forward  the  king 
believed  every  thing  the  embassador  said.  He  did  not 
doubt  a  single  word. 

Sometime  after  this  the  king  commanded  to  ask  the 
embassador  if  they  had  any  more  soldiers  in  Siam  as 
skilled  in  the  magic  arts  as  these,  or  were  these  all  ? 
He  answered,  these  are  but  common  soldiers  for  going 
in  ships,  and  have  very  little  skill  in  the  arts.  The  sol- 
diers for  guarding  the  royal  capital  are  much  better 
skilled  in  the  magic  arts  than  these.  When  the  king 
heard  this  he  believed,  and  feared  the  skill  of  the  Sia- 
mese very  much. 

The  Siamese  had  observed  that  when  the  French 
king  sat  upon  his  throne  in  the  morning,  the  appearance 
of  his  person  was  of  a  reddish  color ;  in  the  middle  of 
the  day  it  was  green,  and  in  the  evening  of  a  whitish 
color.  They  were  very  anxious  to  know  the  cause  of 
this. 

One  day  the  king  asked  the  embassador,  if,  in  his 
own  court  he  was  an  officer  of  high  or  low  rank  ? — and 
when  the  king  of  Siam  wished  to  favor  any  officer  very 
much  how  he  showed  his  favors  ?  I  wish  to  favor  you 
in  the  same  manner.  The  embassador  being  desirous 
to  come  near  to  examine  the  king's  person  to  know  the 
secret  of  the  various  colors  morning,  noon  and  night, 
now  saw  his  opportunity,  and  answered,  I  am  but  an 
officer  of  low  rank  whom  the  king  sends  to  trade  with 
different  nations,  and  I  have  but  little  wisdom;  but 
there  are  many  high  officers  in  our  country  who  have 
great  wisdom  and  experience  who  serve  his  Majesty  the 


232  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

king  of  Siam.  It  is  also  the  custom,  if  his  Majesty 
wishes  to  favor  any  one  more  than  another,  to  allow 
them  to  come  near  to  his  person,  and  crouch  even  at 
his  feet.  The  king  of  France  believed  this,  and  then 
granted  to  the  Siamese  embassador  the  same  privilege 
of  coming  near,  even  to  his  foot  stool.  The  embassador 
then  saw,  that  in  the  morning  the  royal  throne  was 
strewn  with  rubies,  at  noon  with  emeralds,  and  in  the 
evening  with  diamonds  ;  and  that  the  reflection  from 
these  precious  stones  caused  his  person  to  appear  of 
different  colors. 

Upon  a  certain  day  the  king  appeared  in  state  riding 
upon  a  beautifully  caparisoned  horse  decorated  with 
precious  stones,  and  having  a  large  ruby  about  the  size 
of  a  betel-nut  with  the  hull  on,  hanging  about  the 
horse's  neck.  The  reflection  from  the  ruby  gave  them 
both  a  reddish  color,  and  very  beautiful.  The  king 
then  commanded  to  ask  the  embassador  if  they  had 
many  precious  stones  as  large  as  this  in  Siam.  The 
embassador  answered,  I  am  only  an  officer  for  the  out- 
side provinces,  and  am  not  accustomed  to  visit  the 
royal  treasury,  and  I  am  therefore  afraid  to  say  whether 
there  are  many  or  few  lest  it  should  not  accord  with 
the  truth.  But  I  remember  on  one  occasion  when  the 
king  of  Siam  rode  in  state  upon  a  white  horse,  his 
Majesty  had  a  ruby  (Tap-t'im)  suspended  to  the  horse's 
neck  about  the  size  of  this  one  of  your  Majesty's. 

When  the  king  of  France  heard  this  he  was  pleased, 
and  praised  the  embassador  for  his  eloquent  speech  as 
worthy  of  imitation,  and  commanded  to  note  down  his 
words  for  future  reference. 

Sometime  after  this,  when  in  the  king's  presence  the 
embassador  said,  formerly  there  was  a  merchant  from 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  233 

this  country  came  to  Siam  to  trade.  In  speaking  with 
the  king  of  Siam,  he  praised  the  wonderful  things  of 
tliis  country,  and  said  that  in  your  Majesty's  palace 
were  more  beautiful  things  than  were  to  be  found  else- 
where in  the  world.  The  king  of  Siam  wishing  very 
much  to  know  if  this  was  true,  has  sent  your  humble 
servant,  bearing  a  royal  letter,  and  presents  from  my 
lord,  to  form  a  treaty  of  friendship  with  your  Majesty. 
When  the  king  of  France  heard  this,  he  commanded  an 
officer  to  conduct  the  embassadors  in  to  examine  the 
interior  of  the  royal  palace  that  they  might  report  to 
the  king.  The  officer  of  the  palace  then  conducted 
them  through  the  palace.  The  Siamese  took  note  of 
every  thing  they  saw,  and  found  that  it  exactly  cor- 
responded with  the  story  of  P'raya  Wich'a-yen. 

When  they  had  seen  every  thing  they  returned  to  the 
king's  presence  and  praised  the  great  wealth  in  the 
royal  palace,  saying  it  was  equal  in  beauty  with  the 
celestial  mansions  of  angels. 

The  king  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  Siamese 
embassador,and  believed  all  he  said.  His  Majesty  was 
also  very  desirous  of  retaining  his  offspring  in  the 
country,  and  for  this  purpose  secured  him  a  wife,  and 
gave  him  clothes  to  dress  himself  as  a  Frenchman.  The 
king  also  had  his  portrait  painted,  and  all  his  wise  say- 
ings carefully  noted  down. 

When  the  Siamese  embassadors  had  been  in  France 
about  three  years  they  came  to  take  leave  of  the  king 
to  return.  The  principal  embassador  committed  his 
wife  and  children  to  the  care  of  the  king.  His  Majesty 
then  gave  them  money  and  clothes,  and  many  precious 
and  valuable  things,  and  a  letter  and  presents  to  carry 
back  to  his  Majesty  the  king  of  Siam.  When  they 


234  THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

took  leave  of  the  king,  he  sent  an  escort  of  boats  to 
accompany  them  to  the  ship. 

On  a  favorable  day  they  set  sail,  and  arrived  at  their 
native  land  in  safety.  Nai  Pun  was  admitted  into  the 
king's  presence,  and  presented  the  royal  letter  and  pre- 
sents from  the  king  of  France,  and  related  everything 
he  had  seen. 

The  king  was  very  much  pleased,  and  praised  the 
wisdom  of  Nai  Pan,  and  rewarded  him  well  for  his 
fai  tli  fulness. 

According  to  the  Siamese  History,  from  which  the 
above  was  translated,  that  most  extraordinary  man, 
Nai  Pan,  returned  safely  to  Siam  about  A.  D.  1663,  and 
was  received  with  high  honors  by  Somdet  P'ra  Narai, 
who  was  then  King  of  Siam,  and  was  subsequently 
made  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs  in  the  place  of  his 
elder  brother  who  was  removed  by  death. 


XXIV. 

"  TAUT  KATIN "  OR  WAT  VISITING. 

Annually  the  King  visits  the  various  wats  adjacent 
to  Bangkok  and  in  fact  every  wat  throughout  his 
realms  is  either  visited  by  himself  in  person  or  by 
deputy  during  the  month  of  September.  Taut  Katin 
means  the  laying  down  of  a  pattern  to  cut  patchwork, 
and  this  is  generally  the  time  of  year  that  the  priests 
are  furnished  with  robes  for  their  next  year  wear,  being 
donated  by  the  King  and  his  suite  and  others  who  are 
desirous  of  making  merit,  the  robes  having  been  made 
by  the  devout  believers  in  the  teachings  of  the  Buddha, 
some  of  them  of  rich  material,  but  the  larger  portion  of 
cotton  cloth  dyed  yellow,  the  outcast  color  adopted  by 
the  priestly  Gautama  in  his  wanderings,  all  of  which 
are  torn  into  four  strips  and  then  sewn  together,  thus 
imitating  patched  robes,  as  a  token  of  humility,  the 
example  having  been  set  by  the  great  teacher. 

The  principal  attraction  to  the  foreigner  in  wat 
visiting  is  the  processions  by  land  and  water,  which  are 
gorgeous  in  the  extreme,  the  latter  of  which  I  have  por- 
trayed in  the  description  of  a  "  royal  flotilla."  In  the 
city  the  wats  visited  were  Wat  Ratahpradit,  WatChak- 
krawat,  Wat  Samphang-napong  and  others,  all  of  them 
within  reasonable  distance  of  the  palace.  The  avenues 
through  which  the  procession  passed  were  lined  with 
seamen,  who  do  duty  as  marines,  dressed  in  white  and 
armed  with  rifles  to  the  number  of  two  thousand, 
making  a  good  show  as  they  stood  at  regular  intervals 

235 


236  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.      . 

the  whole  distance  on  each  side  for  over  a  mile  from 
the  palace.  Behind  them,  at  the  junction  of  the 
avenues,  a  large  body  of  police  in  full  uniform  were 
formed  in  line,  but  only  for  show,  as  there  appeared  to 
be  no  need  for  them.  Most  of  the  stores  and  residences 
along  the  route  were  appropriately  adorned  with  red 
and  white  streamers  and  altars  on  which  were  dis- 
played offerings,  some  of  them  very  beautiful  and  costly; 
but  flowers,  fruit,  candles  and  incense  sticks  formed  the 
greater  part.  In  a  number  of  instances  the  portrait  of 
His  Majesty  was  the  central  feature.  The  greatest 
order  prevailed  as  the  procession  passed  along,  though 
there  was  much  less  of  the  abject  kow-towing  that 
formerly  prevailed  when  the  King  went  abroad,  the 
usual  accompaniment  of  oriental  royalty,  but  which 
was  abolished  when  His  Majesty  came  to  the  throne ; 
yet  there  was  no  lack  of  dignity  in  the  pageantry, 
which  was  imposing  and  grand. 

The  approach  of  the  procession  was  announced  by 
mounted  heralds,  blowing  trumpets,  in  advance  of  the 
lancers,  who  made  a  fine  appearance,  about  two  hun- 
dred, mounted  on  Australian  horses,  four  deep,  and 
ably  handled  by  their  officers.  A  detachment  of  artil- 
lery with  six  guns  followed,  veteran  artillerists,  then 
came  the  royal  band  play  ing  European  airs,  leading  the 
infantry  column,  comprising  several  regiments,  which 
were  followed  by  another  band  and  more  infantry, 
then  the  fasces  bearers  or  lictors,  and  spearmen  or  tum- 
ruots,  who  defiled  on  each  side  of  the  road,  leaving  the 
center  clear.  A  long  line  of  nobles  came  next,  preced- 
ing the  palanquin  of  the  King,  who  graciously  acknowl- 
edged the  salutations  of  the  foreigners  and  others  with 
his  usual  grace  and  dignity.  He  was  dressed  in  a  white 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  237 

tunic  and  colored  silk  panung,  without  any  of  the 
symbols  of  his  high  office  beyond  the  usual  decorations, 
his  helmet  surmounted  by  a  plume  of  white  feathers. 
Immediately  following  came  the  chairs  of  the  royal 
children  attended  by  their  suites,  and  then  came  the 
Princes  of  the  royal  household,  closed  on  either  side  by 
a  detachment  of  the  palace  guard  with  retainers  leading 
four  caparisoned  ponies.  Each  palanquin  was  accom- 
panied by  the  usual  ro}7al  umbrella,  significantly  borne 
and  appropriately  adorned,  denoting  to  the  uninitiated 
the  rank  of  those  that  it  covered.  H.  R.  H.  Prince 
Ong  Noi,  brother  of  the  King,  followed  in  advance  of 
the  royal  palace  band  on  horseback,  which  was  escorted 
by  the  royal  guard  in  double  file,  numbering  about  five 
hundred  ;  then  came  another  band  heading  a  detach- 
ment of  artillery  with  four  Maxim  guns  and  eight  rifled 
field  guns  of  the  latest  pattern,  then  another  company 
of  infantry  appeared  escorting  the  princes  and  nobles 
of  state,  then  more  music,  and  the  rear  of  the  procession 
was  formed  by  detachments  of  seamen,  from  the  vari- 
ous men  of  war  in  the  harbor,  under  the  command  of 
their  respective  officers,  both  foreign  and  native,  in  full 
uniform. 

Arriving  at  the  wats  His  Majesty  was  met  by  the 
bishops  and  abbots  and  escorted  into  the  building 
where  services  were  held,  consisting  of  reading  the 
lessons  of  Buddha,  a  sermon  was  then  preached,  pray- 
ers offered  up  and  the  presents  distributed.  It  was  a 
solemn  and  interesting  sight,  the  large  temple  filled 
with  squatting  natives,  the  altars  a  blaze  of  light  and 
flowers,  the  statues  of  Buddha  newly  gilt,  outside 
waving  palms,  the  hum  of  the  multitude,  and  through 
the  ever  changing  foliage  shimmered  a  stream  of  gold, 


238  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

a  Danai  shower.  To  the  denizens  of  the  Western  world 
one  can  hardly  realize  the  devotion  that  the  followers 
of  Buddha  pay  to  his  teachings,  the  groundwork  of 
which  is  humility.  The  King  is  the  head  of  the  church, 
but  he  bows  himself  as  low  as  the  humblest  when  the 
bishops  ask  from  the  gods  that  blessings  be  vouchsafed 
his  people.  The  ceremonies  over,  the  royal  retinue 
return  to  the  palace,  the  priests  place  their  robes  away 
and  the  populace,  ever  eager  to  enjoy  a  holiday,  return 
to  their  homes  with  no  fear  of  the  morrow. 


XXV. 

GRAND  DISPLAY  OF  THE  ROYAL  FLOTILLA 
OJNT  THE  MENAM. 

In  days  agone  the  sparkling  waters  of  the  Adriatic 
amorously  kissed  the  prow  of  the  beaucentaur  and 
reflected  back  from  its  pellucid  depth  the  silken  banners 
of  the  Doge  of  Venice  and  his  accompanying  cavaliers 
when  he  cast  into  the  opaline  flood  a  jeweled  ring, 
wedding  the  Queen  of  the  Lagoons  to  the  tideless  tide, 
whose  white-lipped  waves  spent  a  wealth  of  kisses  on 
barge  and  gondola,  mirroring  chivalry  and  beauty  on 
each  swelling  billow,  a  gleam  of  glory  that  must  ever 
flash  from  the  annals  of  the  sea-born  republic  like  a  ray 
of  sunshine  through  some  ruined  cloister  window. 
Turn  back  the  tide  of  time,  forget  the  centuries  fled 
and  look  out  on  the  fast  flowing  Menam,  glittering 
under  an  orient  sun,  and  behold  a  hundred  barges 
proudly  floating  down  the  stream  with  pavilions  of 
cloth  of  gold  and  floating  from  prow  and  stern  white 
horse-tails,  each  manned  by  from  forty  to  seventy  oars- 
men who  simultaneously  lift  their  paddles  from  the 
water  with  a  rhythmic  motion,  uttering  a  weird  chant, 
the  crested  waves  reflecting  the  brilliant  colors  of  the 
boatmen's  uniforms  while  drops  of  water  fall  from 
upraised  paddles,  a  cascade  of  jewels.  Onward  sweeps 
the  royal  flotilla,  past  palaces  and  temples,  beneath  the 
graceful  bamboo  and  towering  banyan  tree  and  emerald 
fern,  with  soft  sounds  of  flute  and  trumpet  floating  out 
on  the  ambient  air?  making  up  a  pageant  akin  to  that 

239 


240  THE   PEAEL   OF   ASIA. 

pictured  in  the  pages  of  the  past  when  the  Doge 
wedded  the  Adriatic. 

The  barges  in  advance  were  filled  with  soldiers  and 
police,  then  the  nobles,  and  in  each  barge  the  occupant 
reclined  on  a  dais  under  a  showy  canopy,  and  before 
him  was  spread  out  the  insignia  of  his  rank:  full  sized 
solid  gold  tea-pot,  cuspidor,  betel  box,  ewer,  plates, 
goblets,  etc.  About  the  center  of  the  flotilla,  the 
barges  two  abreast,  came  the  king  in  his  rua  prateenang, 
barge  of  state,  elaborately  carved  and  gilded,  preceded 
by  a  gold-covered  barge  with  a  pagoda  filled  with 
valuable  presents  and  musicians  blowing  large  ivory 
horns,  accompanied  by  two  barges  with  life  -  sized 
images  of  Buddha  on  their  prow,  also  filled  with  pres- 
ents. 

The  pavilion  in  the  King's  barge  was  festooned  with 
curtains  of  cloth  of  gold  and  crimson  silk,  and  the 
seventy  oarsmen,  clad  in  scarlet  uniforms,  swept  the 
royal  vessel  along  with  a  majestic  motion,  the 
oars  being  heavily  plated  with  gold.  The  royal 
barge  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length,  the 
prow  and  stern  rising  about  ten  feet  out  of  the  water, 
the  whole  shaped  somewhat  like  one  of  our  Indian  canoes, 
the  hull  carved  out  of  an  immense  teak  tree.  The 
prow  and  stern  were  a  mass  of  carving  and  inlaid  with 
mother  of  pearl  and  gold,  and  from  them  streamed  an 
embroiderd  cloth  of  its  owner's  rank,  and  three  bunches 
of  horse-tails  bleached  to  snowy  whiteness. 

The  rua  prateenang,  or  royal  throne  boats,  are 
characteristic  of  Siam  of  the  past  as  well  as  of  the 
present.  For  the  most  part  constructed  out  of  one 
single  tree,  being  literally  "dug  outs,"  they  give  a  fail- 
idea  of  the  size  of  the  trees  of  the  country  and  the  skill 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  241 

of  the  native  builders.  They  are  apparently  from 
about  120  to  150  feet  in  length,  and  ten  to  twelve  feet 
beam  at  the  center,  tapering  towards  the  stem  and 
stern,  which  are  each  in  order  adorned  by  a  towering 
beak  and  a  lofty  curved  and  decorated  stern.  The 
galleys  at  present  used  by  His  Majesty,  the  King,  in 
these  royal  processions  as  indicative  of  supreme  control 
and  order  in  Siam  are  three  in  number.  The  first 
and  largest  is  the  rua  prateenang  proper,  which  bears 
a  gilded  throne  or  seat  in  its  centre,  and  it  is  emble- 
matic throughout.  Its  stem  or  beak  is  turned  back  as  if 
pointing  to  the  throne,  and  the  boat  is  altogether  a 
marvel  of  carving  and  gilded  decoration.  This  galley 
is  manned,  as  is  also  the  other  two  royal  boats,  with 
uniformed  royal  boatmen  wearing  red  tunics  and 
caps,  their  order  and  number  being  fifteen  on  either 
side  forward  and  ten  on  either  side  abaft  the  throne,  or 
in  all  50  rowers.  The  galley  has  no  rowlocks  or  thole- 
pins, but  is  propelled  by  hand  paddles. 

It  is  a  beautiful  sight  to  witness  the  progress  of  these 
boats,  as  the  skill,  order  and  regularity  displayed  by 
the  rowers,  and  the  ease  and  rapidity  with  which  they 
control  the  great  vessel  is  hardly  to  be  equaled  any- 
where else  than  in  this  country.  The  whole  power 
of  the  paddle  rower  is  thrown  into  his  stroke  by  a 
method  which  is  not  generally  understood.  Each  man 
faces  forward  and  can  see  the  man  before  him,  though 
the  time  is  given  by  two  regular  time  beaters,  one 
before  and  one  behind  the  central  pavilion,  who  keep 
raising  and  lowering  a  decorated  lofty  bamboo  stick, 
significantly  adorned  by  regular  size  graded  tufts  of  horse- 
hair, after  the  fashion  of  the  royal  umbrellas,  and  letting 
it  strike  upon  a  sounding  piece  of  wood.  At  the  sound 


242  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

of  the  falling  stick  each  rower  plunges  his  paddle  into 
the  water  and  with  the  full  swing  of  his  arms  inverts 
it  in  the  air.  The  galleys  have  no  rudders,  but  are 
steered  by  stern  oars,  and  these  are,  if  necessary,  assisted 
by  additional  ones  forward.  The  perfect  discipline  and 
thorough  understanding  between  the  commander  of  the 
galleys  and  the  boatmen  make  it  apparent  that  one 
mind  controls  all  the  workings  of  the  boat,  which  at  the 
word  of  command  is  made  to  remain  perfectly  motion- 
less, turn  in  its  own  length,  go  ahead  or  astern,  fast  or 
slow  by  the  action  of  the  paddles  in  the  hands  of  the 
rowers.  The  place  of  the  throne  boat  in  the  procession 
is  directly  in  front  of  the  galley  which  bears  His  Majesty. 
The  center  of  this  boat  is  taken  up  with  a  beautiful 
pavilion,  open  at  the  sides  and  front,  though  closable 
by  royal  hangings  at  will,  in  which  the  King  himself  is 
seated  with  his  courtiers,  and  probably  one  or  more  of 
the  royal  children.  The  covering  of  the  pavilion  is  the 
royal  red  with  a  broad  gold  border,  which  is  significant 
of  His  Majesty's  government  boats  in  the  procession, 
though  bearing  only  subordinate  officers.  The  royal 
galley  itself  is  distinguished  more  particularly  from 
others  by  its  color,  which  even  below  the  water  line 
is  golden  yellow,  while  its  attendant  boat,  though 
approaching  to  the  royal  barge  in  decoration,  has 
its  color  different.  Colors  and  forms  have  all  a  sig- 
nificance in  Siam.  While  visiting  the  wats  near  the 
Palace  and  where  the  relics  of  His  royal  predecessors 
are  preserved,  the  color  used  was  for  the  most  part 
black.  Again,  when  visiting  other  wats  under  royal 
protection  gold  color  was  predominant,  and  on  another 
occasion  white  was  extensively  used. 

The  third    royal    galley   in  the  procession,  which, 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA  243 

however,  generally  keeps  a  position  side  by  side  with 
that  containing  the  King,  is  for  the  accommodation  of 
those  near  to  His  Majesty,  though  it  was  said  that  the 
Chow  Fa  or  heir  apparent  to  the  throne  goes  with  the 
King  in  person  on  most  of  these  occasions.  The 
announcement  of  the  embarkation  of  His  Majesty  is 
made  by  signal  gun,  and  the  procession  down  the  river 
is  heralded  by  bugle  sounds,  the  waterway  being  kept 
clear  in  consequence.  The  boats  of  the  navy  flotilla 
head  the  line  and  clear  the  way.  As  many  as  thirty 
rua-dang  boats,  each  manned  by  from  50  to  75  men, 
dressed  as  usual  among  men-o-war's  men  in  the  tropics, 
i.  e.,  in  white  throughout,  and  commanded  by  their 
regular  naval  officers,  who  occupied  the  pavilions  in 
the  center  of  each  boat,  were  in  the  procession,  either 
preceding  or  following  the  royal  throne  boats.  The 
bugle  sound,  giving  the  order  to  advance,  was  varied 
at  intervals  by  the  music  of  the  bands,  the  sounds  of 
the  conch  blowers,  or  players  on  Siamese  wind  instru- 
ments, and  once  in  a  while  by  a  chant  sung  in  unison 
and  in  good  style  by  the  whole  crew  of  the  rua- 
phrateenany.  The  boats  kept  their  exact  position  in 
the  line  without  varying  the  distance  .  between  each 
other  a  perceptible  fraction  of  an  inch,  and  as  they 
proceeded  down  the  river  two  by  two  they  formed  a 
sight  worth  going  miles  to  behold.  After  the  royal 
boats  manned  by  seamen  of  the  navy  to  the  number  of 
fully  2,000  men  had  passed  came  the  private  boats  of 
the  Princes,  nobles  and  officers  of  Siam,  each  boat 
having  its  owner's  degree  displayed  in  the  embroidered 
cloth  and  accessories  hanging  from  the  stem  and  stern, 
and  each  manned  by  the  personal  retainers  of  the 
owner  in  his  own  livery  or  uniform.  The  line  of  boats, 


244  THE   PEAKL  OF   ASIA.. 

mostly  two  and  two,  extended  more  than  a  mile  on  the 
river,  while  in  motion,  and  on  the  landing  of  His 
Majesty  at  any  of  the  wats  the  boats  kept  their  order 
in  the  procession  without  difficulty. 

The  Princes'  barges  were  also  handsome  affairs  and 
decorated  with  horse-tails  and  embroidered  cloths 
which  were  followed  by  the  barges  of  nobles,  soldiers 
and  river  police,  a  magnificent  flotilla,  truly  oriental. 
This  was  kept  up  for  two  days,  the  King  visiting  the 
various  wats  on  the  river  and  canals  that  come  under 
his  immediate  jurisdiction,  Prince  and  noble  vying 
with  him,  merit  making,  in  the  liberality  of  their 
donations  to  the  wats  and  the  yellow-robed  followers 
of  Buddha  who  live  solely  off  the  charity  of  the  people, 
and  it  is  to  the  credit  of  the  Siamese  that  they  do  not 
allow  them  to  suffer. 

The  temples  of  this  people  are  very  handsome  and 
the  residences  of  the  priests  adjacent  are  used  as 
schools  where  the  youths  are  taught  the  rudiments  of 
a  common  education.  Wats  can  be  seen  every  where, 
surrounded  by  groves  of  the  sacred  Bo  trees,  their 
white  and  gold  phrachedas  and  small  tapering  spires 
telling  the  wanderer  that  a  place  of  rest  was  nigh. 
Adjacent  to  each  temple  is  a  sala,  an  open  house,  for 
persons  to  stop  in  should  they  desire  to  do  so,  virtu- 
ally a  place  of  rest. 

When  the-King,  with  his  flotilla,  comes  down  the 
river  from  his  palace,  the  various  consulates,  palaces 
and  shipping  display  their  flags ;  police  boats  patrol 
the  stream  and  canals  and  a  general  holiday  prevails. 
I  was  informed  by  a  young  lady,  a  native  of  Bangkok, 
that  in  the  early  days  when  the  King  went  to  visit  the 
wats,  foreigners  were  not  allowed  to  witness  the  cere- 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  245 

mony,  in  the  bow  of  the  royal  barge  servitors  were  sta- 
tioned with  balls  of  mud  which  they  would  let  fly 
from  a  sling  at  the  peeping  Toms  along  the  line  of 
travel.  The  law  is  very  rigid  in  regard  to  accidents 
happening  to  the  royal  barge,  the  penalty  death,  but 
should  one  occur  the  steersman  in  charge  has  only  to 
break  his  paddle  during  the  excitement  and  it  thus 
being  deemed  unavoidable  he  escapes  the  full  penalty, 
especially  as  the  King  is  very  humane.  Among  the 
many  legends  of  Siam  and  its  rulers  is  the  account  of 
the  execution  of  the  steersman  of  a  King's  barge, 
which  took  place  during  the  reign  of  the  ruler  known 
for  his  ferocity  as  the  Tiger  King.  While  the  barge 
was  going  at  full  speed  through  one  of  the  canals, 
upon  turning  a  sharp  point  it  ran  into  a  tree  that  had 
blown  across  the  klang,  breaking  off  the  effigies  and 
gilding  on  the  bow  of  the  barge,  toppling  his  Majesty 
off  of  his  dais  and  shaking  things  up  generally.  As 
soon  as  the  boat  struck  the  tree  the  man  leaped  into 
the  water  and  swam  ashore,  sat  down  and  awaited  his 
doom.  The  King,  knowing  that  the  accident  was 
unavoidable,  pardoned  him  on  the  spot,  holding  him 
guiltless,  but  the  boatman  would  not  accept  it,  declar- 
ing that  the  law  must  be  carried  out,  that  if  he 
accepted  a  pardon  it  would  be  establishing  a  bad  prec- 
edent, all  he  asked  was  that  a  sala  be  erected  on  the 
spot  where  he  was  executed.  Remonstrances  proving 
unavailing,  the  King,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  gave  the 
order,  and  the  boatman,  true  to  the  laws  and  his  alle- 
giance, was  decapitated,  a  Siamese  Brutus,  whose 
name  will  ever  live  in  the  traditions  of  his  land.  His 
remains  were  cremated  with  special  honors,  his  family 
ennobled  and  the  sala  erected  to  his  memory,  as  the 


246  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

Siamese  are  not  parsimonious  in  well-doing  for  a 
friend,  or  one  that  adds  a  luster  to  their  annals.  These 
barges  are  only  used  on  state  occasions  and  are  then 
taken  out  of  the  water  and  carefully  housed,  some  of 
them  doubtless  a  hundred  years  old.  I  regarded  the 
pageant  of  "  wat  visiting  "  as  the  handsomest  display 
of  barbaric  grandeur  that  I  had  witnessed  in  this  land 
of  orientalism. 


XXVI. 

THE    MARRIAGE    CEREMONY  AMONG    THE 
AFFLUENT. 

From  a  Siamese  manuscript  I  condense  the  following 
in  regard  to  the  marriage  between  a  couple  of  young 
people  in  the  higher  walks  of  life.  Elsewhere  I  spoke 
of  the  ceremony  in  general.  The  first  step  is  to  secure 
an  elderly  woman,  a  friend  of  the  family,  whom  the  par- 
ents of  the  young  man  con  suit  in  regard  to  securing  a  suit- 
table  wife  for  their  son,  she  arranges  a  meeting  of  friends 
at  the  house  of  the  parents  of  the  young  woman  whom 
she  has  selected;  the  day  having  been  declared  favor- 
able by  the  astrologers,  betel  is  brought  out  and  the 
conference  commences  by  an  appeal  to  the  parents  of 
the  girl,  assuring  them  that  the  desire  of  the  young 
man  was  the  happiness  of  their  daughter,  that  he 
regarded  her  as  the  only  one  with  whom  he  could  be 
happy,  to  comfort  him  in  sickness  and  care  for  him  in 
death,  and  then  ask :  "  What  wilt  thou  father  and  thou 
mother  say  to  us  ? "  The  parents  reply  "  Our  daughter 
we  love  much,  the  son  of  the  respectable  parents  you 
represent  to  us  is  one  they  also  love,  we  must  rely  on 
the  ancient  proverb:  *  Move  slowly  and  you  will  gain 
your  object;  a  prolonged  effort  will  be  likely  to  result 
prosperously ; '  hence  we  must  counsel  with  our  rela- 
tions before  we  can  give  you  an  answer."  When  an- 
other favorable  astrological  day  has  come  the  parents 
of  the  young  man  call  their  friends  together  and  re- 
quest that  they  again  go  to  the  residence  of  the  girl 

247 


248  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

and  ask  what  will  be  the  answer  of  her  parents.  They 
do  so  and  if,  the  proposition  is  favorable  they  are  told  : 
"  We  have  counseled  with  our  kinsmen  and  find  them 
of  the  opinion  that  if  the  young  man  truly  feels  that 
he  can  confide  in  our  daughter  to  take  care  of  him  in 
sickness  and  pay  suitable  attention  to  his  body  after 
death,  that  then  his  confidence  should  be  allowed  to 
grow  and  flourish."  Then  comes  the  question  in  regard 
to  the  ages  of  the  respective  parties,  they  must  not 
be  born  in  years  antagonistic  with  one  another ;  for 
instance  the  year  of  the  rat  and  the  year  of  the  dog,  the 
cow  and  the  tiger,  the  tiger  and  the  rabbit,  or  the  dog 
and  the  monkey,  each  of  them  couplets  and  regarded 
as  antagonizing ;  the  husband  born  in  one  year  and  the 
wife  in  the  other  of  the  couplet  would,  in  the  course  of 
nature,  quarrel  and  fight.  The  parents  respectfully 
request  that  some  fortune-teller  be  consulted  in  regard 
to  the  times  of  their  respective  births  which  will  allow 
them  to  live  happily  together.  This  matter  settled, 
the  delegated  friends  are  again  sent  to  the  parents  of 
the  young  woman,  who  has  not  been  consulted,  and 
ask  concerning  the  property  or  money  that  they  pro- 
pose to  give  to  assist  the  young  couple  to  go  to  house- 
keeping, who  reply  :  "  We  can  not  devote  much  of  our 
effects  for  that  purpose,  but  how  much  will  the  parents 
of  the  young  man  give  ? "  To  this  the  friends  reply: 
"  It  is  left  entirely  to  you  to  say  what  you  think  would 
be  suitable."  They  reply:  "  If  such  be  the  case,  we  would 
suggest  a  hundred  ticals  to  build  a  house,  to  be  made  of 
wood,  and  a  thousand  ticals  for  mutual  trade ;  also, 
that  they  contribute  betel  and  cakes  for  the  wedding, 
at  least  one  hundred  salvers  or  dishes,  will  they  be 
willing  to  do  this  ? "  They  reply :  "We  must  report  first, 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  249 

but  allow  us  to  inquire  how  much  will  you  give  maa 
ch'in  (the  bride)  as  her  portion  ?  "  They  answer  . 
"  Should  the  honorable  parents  of  the  young  man  do 
as  we  propose  we  will  give  our  daughter  as  her  toon 
(dowry)  one  thousand  ticals  and  two  or  three  slaves." 
This  done  and  all  the  arrangements  perfected,  the  bride- 
groom  is  taken  to  the  residence  of  the  bride,  so  that  he 
can  pay  his  respects  to  her  parents,  prostrates  himself  on 
the  floor  before  them  and  craves  their  permission  to  see 
their  daughter  and  that  he  may  be  allowed  to  call  from 
time  to  time  as  he  may  desire,  which  is  granted,  and  from 
that  time  on  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  family.  The 
bridegroom  then  commences  the  erection  of  his  house 
adjacent  to  and  aided  by  his  father-in-law  and  other 
friends.  The  astrologers  are  now  consulted  as  to  when 
an  auspicious  day  will  arrive  for  the  ceremony,  and  it 
being  determined  the  relatives  and  friends  soon  com- 
plete the  building  and  then  the  parents  of  the  two 
parties  select  five  friends  to  receive  the  money  and  two 
white  garments,  presents  to  the  parents  of  the  bride, 
with  the  wedding  cakes  and  betel,  according  to  the 
agreement.  These  things  are  conveyed  in  a  procession 
headed  by  a  band  of  music  and  are  presented  to  the 
parents  of  the  bride,  who  bring  forth  the  dowry  and 
slaves,  publicly  giving  them  to  the  bride. 

After  this  ceremony  they  all  repair  to  the  new  house 
and  are  duly  seated,  the  white  raiment  is  exhibited  and 
the  money  brought  by  both  parties  spread  out  on  the 
floor  and  counted  ;  the  two  sums  are  then  mixed 
together,  fragrant  oil  and  flour  and  a  little  paddy 
scattered  over  the  heap,  symbolic  of  blessings  asked 
for,  that  their  rice,  oil  and  perfumery  may  ever  abound. 
The  money  is  then  handed  to  the  mother  of  the  bride 


250  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

to  hold  as  trustee  for  the  purpose  it  was  given.  This 
ceremony  generally  takes  place  at  midday.  A  rich 
feast  is  then  spread  after  which  the  friends  disperse  and 
return  again  in  the  cool  of  the  evening  with  several 
priests  who  hold  religious  services.  Prior  to  this  the 
bride  sends  out  a  youth  handsomely  dressed  with  a 
waiter  of  betel  nut  inviting  the  bridegroom  and  his 
attendants  to  come  in  and  be  seated  mthe  wed- 
ding hall,  which  is  handsomely  decorated  with  ferns 
and  flowers,  she  and  her  attendants  being  screened  by 
a  curtain  stretched  across  the  hall.  When  the  religious 
services  are  closed  the  curtain  is  lifted  and  certain 
elders  proceed  to  administer  the  holy  water  of  blessing. 
The  young  couple  are  seated  close  together,  the  chief 
elder  takes  up  the  vessel  of  holy  water,  pours  a  little 
on  the  head  of  the  man  and  then  on  the  head  of  the 
woman,  pronouncing  a  blessing  as  he  does  so.  The  bride 
then  retires  and  changes  her  dress  for  one  more  brilliant 
and  at  the  same  time  a  finely  dressed  boy  presents,  on 
a  silver  salver,  a  handsome  suit  to  the  bridegroom,  a 
present  from  the  parents  of  the  bride,  called  Pa  hawi- 
haw,  which  he  proceeds  to  don.  In  the  meantime  the 
.priests  are  quoting  texts  from  the  works  of  Buddha, 
then  refreshments  are  served,  tea,  sweets  and  ices,  and 
the  priests  receive  yellow  robes.  The  special  guests 
are  then  invited  to  partake  of  a  banquet  prepared  by 
the  family  of  the  bride,  after  which  further  proceedings 
are  adjourned  till  next  day,  all  repairing  to  their  re- 
spective homes  but  the  bridegroom,  who  remains  in 
the  new  dwelling  where  he  assembles  a  band  of  musi- 
cians, and  he  and  a  few  of  his  friends  keep  up  a  revelry 
all  night,  thus  serenading  the  bride. 

Early  next  morning  the  friends  of  both  parties  assem- 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  251 

ble  at  the  new  home  and  vie  with  each  other  in  feeding 
the  priests  and  themselves.  Nothing  preventing  and 
the  astrologers  announcing  that  the  day  was  propitious, 
the  nuptials  will  be  closed  that  evening  by  the  selection 
of  a  middle-aged  couple,  friends  of  the  bride,  who  have 
been  blessed  with  a  numerous  progeny,  to  arrange  the 
bridal  chamber  and  marriage  bed.  This  is  done  under 
the  belief  that  such  service  performed  by  so  meritorious 
a  couple  will  secure  like  blessings  on  the  happy  bride 
and  groom.  At  10  o'clock  P.M.  some  of  the  elders  con- 
duct the  bride  ceremoniously  to  her  new  abode  where 
she  is  received  by  her  husband;  they  remain  with  them 
an  hour  or  so,  giving  them,  the  best  counsels  and 
exhortations  of  which  they  are  capable,  and  then, 
beseeching  from  the  fates  the  highest  blessings  of  the 
marriage  state  to  rest  upon  them,  they  retire  and  this 
closes  the  nuptial  ceremonies. 

After  two  or  three  days  the  bridegroom  takes  the 
bride  to  visit  his  father's  family,  when  she  prostrates 
herself  before  them,  carrying  with  her  a  few  presents 
for  the  different  members  of  the  family  in  the  form  of 
cakes,  bouquets,  etc.  Her  father-in-law  then  makes  her 
some  valuable  presents,  generally  jewelry.  A  few  davs 
after  this  the  bride  will  conduct  her  husband  on  a  cere- 
monial visit  to  her  parents,  at  whose  feet  he  will  bow 
down  when  he  will  receive  some  valuable  presents  in 
silver  or  gold.  At  the  time  of  the  birth  of  the  first 
child,  the  toon,  which  was  committed  to  the  care  of 
the  parent  of  the  bride,  is  brought  out  and  delivered  over 
to  the  young  mother.  Up  to  this  time  they  have  lived 
upon  her  parents,  from  thence  onward  they  will  have 
to  care  for  themselves.  The  birth  of  the  first  child  is 
celebrated  by  the  relatives  on  both  sides  in  bringing 


252  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

presents  for  the  child,  intended  as  a  peace  offering  to 
make  its  spirit  bold  and  courageous,  denominated 
tam-k'wan  There  are  many  varieties  of  wedding 
ceremonies  in  vogue  among  the  natives,  but  they  all 
partake  of  the  character  of  the  one  described,  some 
being  more  elaborate  than  others  and  the  presents 
more  costly,  while  those  of  the  lower  classes  arrange 
to  have  the  ceremony  concluded  in  one  day.  It  is 
thought  bad  form  for  a  man  to  take  a  wife  without 
some  kind  of  public  ceremony  to  sanction  the  union, 
but  many  of  the  peons  do  so. 

The  Laos  have  a  form  of  marriage  which  is  in  most 
cases  performed  and  recorded  by  the  Nai,  magistrate, 
of  the  district  it  happens  in.  A  divorce  may  also  be 
obtained  by  the  parties  if  they  are  not  comfortably 
suited  to  each  other,  but  it  must  be  by  mutual  agree- 
ment, except  in  severe  cases  of  inconstancy  on  the 
part  of  the  bride.  Then  they  are  separated  by  consent 
of  the  husband.  A  young  aspirant  to  the  hand  of  a 
female  begs  for  the  flower  in  her  hair.  If  she  gives  it 
to  him,  he  knows  that  his  suit  is  a  favorable  one ;  but  if 
it  is  refused  him  he  knows  to  the  contrary.  One  great 
mark  of  honor,  to  be  placed  to  their  credit,  is  that  a 
young  couple  engaged  to  be  married  have  every  confi- 
dence placed  in  them  by  the  parents  of  the  bride,  and 
it  is  a  rare  case  that  it  is  ever  violated,  the  Laos  women 
being  generally  virtuous. 


XXVII. 

THE  ATTAP  PALM,  TONG  YANG  AND 

OTHER  TREES. 

One  of  the  most  peculiar  growths  of  Siam  is  the 
Attap  Palm,  a  cross  between  a  tree  and  a  fern,  found 
only  in  the  alluvial  lands  at  the  head  waters  of  the 
gulf  and  along  the  rivers  entering  therein.  Its  leaves 
are  held  in  high  repute  by  the  natives  as  a  thatch  for 
covering  their  houses.  Its  center  or  trunk  is  a  large 
bulb,  from  two  to  three  feet  in  diameter,  from  which 
shoot  from  thirty  to  forty  immense  leaves,  somewhat 
resembling  the  cocoa  palm,  which  stand  out  with 
singular  uprightness  and  then  curve  outward  like  a 
gigantic  lily,  generally  having  an  undeveloped  leaf  in 
the  center  that  stands  from  eight  to  twelve  feet  in 
height.  The  full-grown  leaf  varies  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  feet  in  length  and  resembles  a  monster 
fan.  It  is  found  along  the  banks  of  rivers  and  canals 
and  when  undisturbed  forms  an  almost  impenetrable 
jungle.  The  leaves  are  cut  in  three-foot  lengths  and. 
fastened  on  the  roofs  by  being  tied  to  bamboo  slats  that 
extend  across  the  rafters;  formerly  the  strings  were 
made  from  the  midrif  of  the  talliput  palm  which  is 
very  flexible,  but  now  imported  twine  is  used  in  the 
towns  The  attap  comprises  both  genders  in  the  same 
tree  and  at  times  is  full  of  sap  which  the  natives  obtain 
by  tapping  the  tree  similar  to  the  way  the  maple  is 
tapped  in  America,  and  convert  the  sap  into  sugar  as 
they  do  that  of  the  Palmyra  palm,  the  monarch  of  the 

253 


254  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

palms.  Frequently  the  sap  will  flow  for  a  month  or 
longer.  The  blossom  is  cylindrical,  about  four  inches 
long  and  very  fragrant  even  after  it  becomes  dry,  and 
its  fruit  grows  in  clusters  of  from  eighty  to  one 
hundred  on  a  single  stem,  forming  a  globe  about  one 
foot  in  diameter,  which  when  ripe  are  of  a  glossy  pur- 
ple hue  and  have  a  hard  hull.  It  begins  to  bear  from 
its  fourth  year  and  has  annually  from  four  to  eight 
clusters,  requiring  six  months  to  mature.  The  stems 
that  bear  the  fruit  and  blossoms  are  made  into  brooms 
and  brushes  resembling  a  horse's  tail  after  they  are 
hackeled,  some  of  the  unfolded  leaflets  are  used  for 
cigarette  wrappers.  It  is  a  tree  almost  unknown  in 
Europe  or  America. 

The  Ton  Yang  or  oil  tree  is  another  of  the  peculiar 
trees  of  this  peculiar  land.  It  grows  in  all  parts  of 
Siam  and  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  imposing  trees 
found  in  the  tropics;  it  grows  very  straight,  like  the 
betel,  and  reaches  a  height  of  from  one  hundred  and 
eighty  to  two  hundred  and  thirty  feet,  free  from  knot 
or  limb,  and  is  used  for  the  immense  pillars  required 
for  the  premains  or  temples  for  royal  cremations.  Its 
leaf  is  similar  to  the  basswood  of  America  and  its 
remarkable  characteristic  is  its  oil-bearing  quality.  The 
oil  is  obtained  by  tapping  the  tree,  cutting  a  large 
notch  two  or  three  feet  from  the  ground,  the  base  of 
the  notch  being  made  so  that  it  will  form  a  basin 
capable  of  holding  a  half-gallon  to  catch  the  drip,  but 
the  tree  will  not  yield  readily  till  the  notch  is  charred 
thoroughly.  A  large  tree  twelve  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence can  be  tapped  in  several  places  and  each  notch 
will  yield  a  gallon  or  more  in  twenty-four  hours.  At 
first  the  oil  is  milky  and  thin,  but  it  soon  becomes  thick 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  255 

and  brown  by  exposure.  It  is  then  brought  to  market 
in  large  jars  and  sold  for  the  purpose  of  oiling  boats 
and  other  purposes.  By  mixing  it  with  finely  pulver- 
ized rosin  a  cement  is  made  with  which  the  natives  fill 
the  seams  of  their  boats,  they  also  mix  a  small 
quantity  of  rosin  with  the  oil  and  varnish  the  bottom 
of  their  boats  which  when  it  becomes  dry  is  hard, 
glossy  and  impervious  to  water.  This  tree  has 
almost  entirely  disappeared  from  the  vicinity  of  Bang- 
kok and  can  only  be  found  in  the  distant  jungles. 

The  Betel  tree,  the  Aureca  palm,  attains  great  per- 
fection on  the  plains  of  Siamand  throughout  the  Strait's 
settlements ;  its  maximum  height  is  about  ninety  feet, 
its  trunk  is  very  slender  and  straight  and  is  only  from 
six  to  ten  inches  in  diameter  near  the  root  which 
continues  with  but  little  change  until  the  top  is  reached, 
having  no  limbs,  and  is  crowned  with  a  tuft  of  long 
lace-like  leaves,  six  or  eight  in  number,  which  branch 
like  blades  of  corn  from  the  stalk,  each  leaf  being  six 
or  seven  feet  in  length,  curving  gracefully  outward  as 
they  bend  before  the  monsoon.  Betel  trees  are 
extensively  cultivated  and  commence  bearing  from  the 
third  to  the  fifth  year  and  continue  to  do  so  for  nearly 
forty  years,  when  they  decay  at  the  root.  The  fruit 
grows  in  clusters  from  three  to  five  in  number  at  a 
time,  each  cluster  having  an  independent  stem  on  which 
is  suspended  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  three 
hundred  nuts.  The  clusters  are  attached  to  the  tree  a 
little  below  the  insertion  of  thes  leaves,  hanging  in  the 
shade,  two  or  three  leaves  lopping  over  them.  When 
ripe  the  nuts  are  about  the  size  and  shape  of  an  egg 
plum  and  exchange  their  deep  green  color  for  that  of  a 
reddish  yellow  and  look  like  small  oranges.  The  outer 


25  C  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

part  of  the  fruit  is  a  tough  hull  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
thick.  When  stripped  of  its  hull  it  is  about  the  size  of 
a  large  hickory  nut,  has  the  consistency  of  a  peach 
kernel  and  is  considered  one  of  the  essentials  of  life; 
all  chew  it.  When  the  nut  is  in  a  dry  state  it  is  broken 
into  small  particles  and  mingled  with  a  vermilion- 
colored  lime  paste  and  a  little  ceri-leaf  makes  a  mouth- 
ful that  renders  the  chewer  hideous.  The  natives 
prefer  it  in  its  unripe  state,  and  the  girls  and  women 
prepare  it  in  the  most  dextrous  manner.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  practice  of  betel  chewing  is  very  filthy,  it  is 
universal  among  the  people,  causing  the  users  of  it  to 
expectorate  large  quantities  of  blood-red  saliva,  distorts 
their  lips,  blackens  their  gums  and  teeth,  causing  the 
sockets  of  the  teeth  to  bocome  calloused  so  that  many 
of  their  teeth  fall  out  at  an  early  age.  Chewing  betel 
has  obtained  greater  power  over  the  Siamese  than 
tobacco  over  other  nations,  and  it  is  extremely  rare 
that  a  man,  or  a  woman,  or  even  a  child,  over  ten  years 
of  age,  can  be  found  who  is  not  addicted  to  it  or  some 
of  its  substitutes.  They  would  sooner  go  without  their 
rice  than  their  betel.  It  is  to  the  Siamese  what  the 
pipe  of  tobacco  is  to  the  American  Indian,  and  it  is 
considered  a  breach  of  hospitality  if  betel  is  not  handed 
round  to  their  guests;  marriages  can  not  be  perfected 
without  this  token  of  friendship,  in  fact  the  Siamese 
word  for  marriage  is  Kenmac — a  basin  or  salver  of 
betel. 

The  ceri-leaf,  which  always  goes  with  the  betel,  is  a 
member  of  the  pepper  family,  the  plant  is  reared  on 
poles  or  trellises,  and  the  leaf  is  a  bright  green  with  a 
pungent  taste,  the  fruit  resembling  the  long  pepper.  It 
is  for  its  pungent  qualities  that  it  is  used  with  the  betel 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  257 

and  sometimes  a  pinch  of  tobacco  is  added.  The  other 
ingredient  of  the  betel  compound  is  red  lime  paste, 
which  is  made  of  newly  burnt  lime,  and  before  it  is 
slacked  a  decoction  of  tumeric  root  is  poured  on  it 
which  causes  it  to  form  a  paste  taking  a  fine  vermilion 
color.  While  in  this  plastic  state  it  is  brought  to 
market  and  sold  up  and  down  the  river  by  hucksters, 
who  retail  it  in  little  earthen  pots  holding  a  half  a  pint, 
twenty  of  which  they  sell  for  a  fuang  or  a  bucketful 
for  a  salung.  This  red  lime  is  spread  on  the  ceri-leaf 
with  a  wooden  spatula  and  then  rolling  the  lime  up  in 
the  leaf  it  is  placed  in  the  mouth  with  a  piece  of  betel, 
then  the  mastication  commences  and  soon  the  red  saliva 
is  ejected  in  a  stream.  It  is  one  of  the  filthiest  practices 
that  the  Siamese  are  addicted  to. 

The  Cocoa  Palm  is  another  valuable  tree  and  found 
in  all  tropical  countries;  its  average  height  is  about 
eighty  feet,  and,  like  the  betel,  runs  up  a  staff  till  near 
the  apex,  when  it  branches  out  into  a  crown  of  about 
twenty  pinnatisect  leaves  about  fifteen  feet  long  by 
six  feet  wide.  Each  leaf  has  nearly  one  hundred  leaf- 
lets set  two  inches  apart  on  either  side  of  its  spine, 
which  are  generally  about  three  feet  long  by  three 
inches  wide.  Immediately  beneath  the  leaves  hang 
clusters  of  fruit,  each  having  from  six  to  eight  nuts 
attached,  and  as  they  bear  perennially  ripe  fruit  and 
blossoms  can  be  seen  on  the  same  tree,  it  requiring 
about  six  months  for  the  nuts  to  mature.  The  nut 
proper  is  encased  in  a  husk  of  fibrous  nature  which  has 
to  be  cut  off.  When  the  nut  has  attained  its  medium 
growth  it  can  be  easily  cut  with  a  knife  and  it  then 
contains  about  a  half  pint  of  fluid,  cooling  and  nourish- 
ing as  a  drink,  and  they  are  sold  in  the  bazaars  for  that 


258  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

purpose  at  a  cent  a  piece.  Travelers  through  the 
jungles  drink  nothing  else  if  the  nut  is  obtainable.  It 
is  very  useful  for  a  dipper,  for  culinary  purposes,  to 
measure  rice,  it  being  the  standard  measure  of  the 
kingdom  for  that  purpose,  the  T'anon  or  one  and  a 
half  pints;  its  meat  is  used  in  cooking  and  enters  into 
most  Siamese  dishes,  especially  curry;  large  quantities 
of  oil  are  also  extracted  from  it,  sold  by  the  gallon, 
and  is  an  article  of  export,  much  of  it  being  used  in 
illuminations  and,  in  fact,  until  petroleum  was  intro- 
duced was  the  only  illuminator  that  they  had,  it  being 
frequently  pressed  into  candles,  hardened  by  a  chem- 
ical process.  The  trees  are  also  tapped  for  sugar,  same 
as  the  betel,  but  the  sugar  is  better  and  larger  quanti- 
ties are  made,  as  is  also  from  the  Palmyra  palm.  This 
tree  is  the  largest  of  its  species,  sometimes  reaching 
the  height  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet,  tall  and 
slender,  and  its  crown  consists  of  from  twenty  to  thirty 
leaves,  each  leaf  describing  a  circle,  with  a  radius  of 
three  feet,  shaped  like  a  fan  that  opens  both  ways  till 
the  two  handles  meet,  leaving  the  folds  of  the  fan  slack, 
three  or  four  feet  in  length,  which  being  round  on  the 
under  side  and  grooved  on  the  upper  form  a  conductor 
for  rain  or  dew  to  the  parent  stem.  Like  the  cocoa, 
they  bear  at  all  times  and  have  more  blossoms  during 
the  dry  season  than  the  wet,  which  is  the  time  that 
the  natives  select  for  obtaining  the  sap  and  making 
sugar.  The  fruit  is  smaller  than  the  cocoa  nut  and 
each  hull  contains  three  nuts  about  the  size  of  a  goose 
egg  which,  before  it  matures,  is  filled  with  a  delicious 
fluid.  The  chief  use  for  the  Palmyra  palm  is  its  sugar 
bearing,  the  natives  making  large  quantities  'from  it, 
and  it  is  asserted  that  from  thirty  to  forty  millions  of 


THE   PEARL    OF   ASIA.  259 

pounds  is  made  annually,  the  province  of  Petchaburee 
alone  furnishing  over  ten  million  pounds  upon  which 
a  tax  of  forty  thousand  ticals  ($20,000)  is  collected. 
The  Teak,  the  wood  of  commerce  and  general  use,  is 
mentioned  elsewhere.  The  woods  of  Siam  are  many 
and  some  very  valuable,  especially  Padoo,  Eose,  Ebony, 
Sapan,  Agilla  wood,  etc.,  many  of  them  unknown  to 
the  commercial  world. 


\ 


XXVIII. 

HOLIDAYS  AND  FESTIVALS 

T'EEP  CH'ING  CH'A  HOLIDAYS. 

These  always  occur  on  the  7th  and  9th  waxing  moon 
of  the  second  month.  On  each  of  these  days  a  large  pro- 
cession is  made  for  the  Chief  Minister  of  the  ftice 
Department,  by  which  he  is  carried  in  great  pomp  to 
the  place  called  Sou  ch'ing  ch'a  (pillars  for  swinging). 
A  brick  platform,  carpeted  with  white  muslin  and 
tastefully  curtained,  having  been  prepared  for  him,  he 
ascends  it,  and  stands  on  one  foot  attended  by  four 
Brahmin  priests,  two  on  his  right  and  two  on  his  left 
hand,  until  three  games  of  the  swinging  have  ended, 
which  occupy  usually  about  two  hours.  If  he  venture 
to  touch  his  raised  foot  to  the  floor  before  the  games 
are  ended,  the  Brahmins,  it  is  said,  are  allowed  to  strip 
him  of  his  property  and  otherwise  dishonor  him. 
When  the  games  are  over  the  swingers  (persons 
belonging  to  the  Brahmin  priests)  dip  up  with  bullocks' 
horns  water  made  holy  by  Brahminicaf  ceremonies, 
and  sprinkle  it  upon  all  about  them.  This  is  the  Brah- 
minical  mode  of  calling  blessings  down  upon  the  people 
of  the  land.  The  ceremonies  of  the  first  day  being 
finished,  the  Chief  Minister  is  escorted  home  by  a  pro- 
cession like  the  one  that  brought  him.  This  is  all  done 
in  the  forenoon.  The  ceremonies  of  thesecondday  are 
performed  in  the  afternoon.  The  King  does  not  usually 
grace  them  with  his  presence.  But  they  are  attended 

260 


THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA.  261 

by  many  of  the  princes  and  officers  of  government,  and 
crowds  of  people. 

KROOT    CHEEN    HOLIDAYS. 

January  22d,  23d,  and  24th.  These  three  days  are 
universally  observed  by  •  the  Chinese  as  their  New 
Year  holidays.  The  23d  of  January  is  the  first  day 
of  their  year.  Nearly  all  their  ordinary  business  stops 
during  those  three  days,  and  it  requires  at  least  three 
days  more  to  recover  themselves  from,  the  dissipations 
of  that  season.  As  the  Siamese  are  intimately  connec- 
ted with  them,  the  derangement  of  buski'ess  extends 
throughout  all  their  affairs  also. 

SEASON  FOR  VISITING  P'RA  HAT 

January  29th,  and  February  6th,  inclusive.  This 
is  the  season  which  the  Buddhists  of  Siam  very 
generally  spend  in  visiting  P'ra  Hat,  about  100  miles 
north  of  Bangkok,  where  tradition  affirms  Buddha 
once  placed  his  foot  on  a  rock,  and  left  there  a  clear 
imprint  of  it,  even  to  all  the  peculiar  and  characteristic 
marks  on  the  sole,  to  be  a  standing  testimony  to  all  his 
followers  that  he  did  indeed  once  live  on  earth,  and 
visited  Siam,  and  was,  what  their  sacred  books  declare 
him  to  be,  the  All-knowing  Teacher. 

KROOT  T'EI  HOLIDAYS. 

March  21st,  22d,  and  23d.  These  are  the  Siam- 
ese New  Year  holidays,  when  almost  all  the  Siamese, 
Laos,  Cambodians,  Peguans,  and  Burmans  engage  in 
performing  extraordinary  works  of  merit.  Nearly 
every  family  makes  a  peculiar  cake  appropriate  to  the 
season.  Fruits  of  all  kinds  then  in  market  are  pro- 
cured and  presented  to  the  priests.  On  the  third  day 
the  temple  doors  are  thrown  open,  and  the  people, 
more  especially  the  women  and  children,  enter,  attired 


262  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

in  their  best  clothing,  and  bow  down  before  the  idol, 
and  make  offerings  of  flowers,  etc.  Many  of  the  more 
wealthy  families  have  on  each  of  those  days  special 
prayers  and  preaching  by  the  priests  at  their  houses, 
when  they  feast  them,  and  make  offerings  of  yellow 
robes  and  other  articles  necessary  to  them  as  priests. 

The  religious  services  are  usually  completed  by  the 
end  of  the  second  day;  the  third  day  is  almost  univer- 
sally devoted  to  games  of  chance.  Men,  women  and 
children  all  join  in  it  with  all  their  hearts,  as  the  laws 
of  the  land  give  them  a  gratuitous  license  to  gamble 
on  such  occasions. 

The  King  keeps  these  holidays  with  much  ceremony, 
and  with  extraordinary  religious  services,  and  has 
companies  of  priests  stationed  on  the  top  of  the  city 
walls  in  regular  order  surrounding  the  whole  city,  to 
perform  exorcisms  in  concert.  On  the  night  of  the 
first  day,  the  14th  of  the' Siamese  moon,  guns,  large  and 
small,  are  fired  from  the  tops  of  the  walls  from  all 
points  of  the  compass,  at  intervals  of  about  twenty 
minutes  throughout  the  night.  Each  gun,  it  is  said,  is 
fired  36  times.  This  is  done  for  the  purpose  of  expell- 
ing the  evil  spirits  from  the  precincts  of  -the  city,  and 
thus  preparing  the  way  for  health  and  happiness 
to  all  within  the  city  walls.  In  .this  custom  is  mani- 
fested about  the  same  wisdom  and  power  that  we  see 
in  the  natives,  at  the  times  of  the  eclipses,  when  guns, 
crackers,  gongs  and  other  instruments  of  rattling  and 
confusion  innumerable  are  brought  into  requisition  to 
frighten  the  fabulous  monster  Rahu  from  his  effort  to 
swallow  the  sun  or  moon.  As  the  people,  living  out. 
side,  desire  to  participate  in  such  blessings  and  sports, 
many  of  them  join  in  the  concert  of  firing,  so  that 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  263 

guns  may  be  heard  from  many  parts  of  the  suburbs 
all  that  night.  The  effects  of  this  universal  dissipation 
do  not  cease  for  many  days  after  the  holidays  are  past. 
This  ceremony  is  fast  falling  into  disrepute  and  will 
shortly  be  entirely  abolished,  but  few  guns  being  now 
fired. 

THE  CEREMONY  OF   T?U  NAM. 

March  24th,  3d  of  5th  w.axing  moon.  This  is  the 
day  established  from  time  immemorial  for  all  tne 
Siamese  Princes,  Lords,  Nobles,  and  people,  to  take 
their  first  semi-annual  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  King. 
At  that  time  they  assemble  at  the  King's  palace,  and 
drink  and  sprinkle  their  foreheads  with  water,  in  which 
has  been  dipped  swords,  daggers,  spears,  guns,  and 
other  instruments  by  which  the  King  may  execute  ven- 
geance upon  those  who  rebel  against  him,  and  thus 
they  invoke  the  royal  vengeance  by  these  instruments 
upon  themselves,  and  their  families,  if  they  shall  be 
found  unfaithful  to  the  King.  The  priests  are  excused 
from  this  service  by  virtue  of  the  sanctity  of  their 
office.  But  the  chief  priests  of  the  temples  in  and 
about  the  city  meet  on  that  day  and  perform  appro- 
priate religious  services  at  the  temple  attached  to  the 
royal  palace. 

The  governors  and  people  of  distant  provinces 
renew  their  oath  of  allegiance  on  another  day  quickly 
succeeding  this  day.  They  do  it  by  having  a  portion 
of  the  same i4  water  of  vengeance"  sent  to  the  residence 
of  the  governors,  who  then  require  all  persons  of  stand- 
ing and  influence  within  their  jurisdictions  to  assemble 
and  perform  the  ceremony. 

SONGKRAN  HOLIDAYS. 

These  are  four  successive  days  occurring  generally 


264  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

soon  after  the  Siamese  New  Year,  but  sometimes  a  little 
before.  It  is  not  fixed  to  a  certain  month  and  day  of 
month,  because  it  is  ruled  by  the  sun,  and  not  at  all 
by  the  moon.  It  is  observed  at  the  time  when  the 
sun  passes  from  the  zodiacal  sign  Manyarasee  over 
into  the  sign  Matesarasee.  "When  the  Brahminical 
astrologers  have  made  up  their  minds  as  to  the  day 
when  that  event  will  take  place,  they  inform  the  King. 
The  calculations  are  usually  made  by  the  day  of  the 
great  congregation  to  renew  the  oath  of  allegiance. 
At  this  time  the  King  issues  a  proclamation  that  the 
"P'it'a  fa  nom  fa  p'isoike"  will  be  observed  at  the 
royal  palace  on  such  and  such  a  day.  He  also  invites 
the  priests  generally  to  assemble  at  his  palace  on  that 
day  for  a  royal  festival. 

As  to  the  laity,  they  very  generally  have  special 
religious  services,  feast  the  priests  and  one  another,  and 
play  at  their  games  of  chance-  much  as  on  their  New 
Year  holidays.  The  women  draw  water  and  bathe 
the  idol,  the  persons  of  the  priests,  the  elders  of  the 
people,  and  their  grandparents  and  other  aged  relatives. 
They  do  these  things  thinking  to  call  down  blessings 
upon  those  for  whose  benefit  they  profess  to  perform 
them ;  but  more  especially  upon  themselves  and  their 
families  by  way  of  recompense, — a  central  idea  of  self- 
righteousness. 

BIRTH,  INSPIRATION,  AND  DEATH  OF  BUDDHA. 

May  3d,  4th,  and  5th.  These  three  days  are  to 
celebrate  three  great  events  in  the  existence  of  Buddha 
on  earth,  which  all  took  place,  it  would  seem,  on  the 
same  day  of  the  same  moon,  viz.,  the  15th  day  of  the 
6th  waxing  moon.  Those  events  are,  first,  his  birth; 
second,  his  most  wonderful  self-originated  inspiration 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  265 

to  see  and  know  all  things  with  perfect  clearness;  and 
third,  his  death,  which  then  completed  80  years  of  life 
on  earth.  These  anniversary  days  are  observed  by  the 
Siamese  very  generally  with  great  veneration.  On  the 
second  day  especially  are  they  all  alert  in  performing 
works  of  merit,  as  giving  alms  to  the  poor,  making 
offerings  to  the  priests,  and  to  the  idol,  and  in  hearing 
prayers  and  preaching.  In  the  evening  of  that  day 
they  usually  have  a  display  of  lighted  candles,  lanterns, 
torches,  etc. 

RAAKNA  HOLIDAY— BEGINNING  OF  SEED-TIME. 

The  Brahmin  astrologers  seem  not  to  be  able  to  deter- 
mine long  beforehand  exactly  on  what  day  the  sign 
will  be  the  most  favorable  for  the  ceremonies  of  the 
occasion.  It  usually  falls  on  a  day  in  the  former  part 
of  the  sixth  month,  corresponding  to  the  first  half  of 
May. 

The  Chief  Minister  of  the  Rice  department  is 
regarded  as  king  during  the  day,  because  he  is  the 
King's  proxy  to  hold  the  plow,  break  up  the  ground, 
and  sow  the  first  rice  of  the  year.  The  custom  from 
time  immemorial  has  been  that  the  people  wherever 
he  goes  on  that  day  shall  honor  the  King  through  him 
by  shutting  up  their  shops.  In  case  a  shop-keeper  be 
found  exposing  his  goods  for  sale,  he  renders  himself 
liable  to  suffer  confiscation  of  all  the  property  thus 
exposed.  Consequently  it  is  generally  somewhat  diffi- 
cult to  make  purchases  in  the  market  on  that  day.  It 
should  be  stated  that  His  Majesty,  through  the  Minister 
of  Foreign  affairs,  declared  this  custom  to  be  null  and 
void  from  the  beginning  of  his  reign.  But  notwith- 
standing that,  many  of  the  people  regard  it  as  being 
still  in  power. 


266  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

The  Minister  is  escorted  by  a  public  procession  to  the 
field  where  the  first  "  breaking  of  ground  "  is  to  take 
place.  In  the  present  reign,  that  place  is  within  the 
city  walls;  formerly  it  was  without.  A  shed  having 
been  there  prepared  for  the  ceremony,  the  Minister 
enters  it,  attended  by  a  company  of  Brahmin  priests. 
They  then  perform  a  variety  of  religious  acts  on 
a  pair  of  oxen,  to  prepare  them  for  the  plow.  They 
are  decorated  with  flowers  and  fastened  to  the  plow, 
which  is  likewise  adorned.  The  Minister  then  holds 
the  plow,  while  the  oxen  draw  it  over  the  field  for 
about  an  hour.  Then  four  elderly  females,  officers  in 
the  king's  palace,  take  paddy  and  sow  it  over  the  plat 
plowed,  where  it  is  left  uncovered.  Then  various  kinds 
of  grain  most  important  for  the  sustenance  of  the 
people  are  so  exposed  that  the  oxen  may  eat  them 
when  liberated  for  that  purpose.  Of  whatever  kind 
they  eat  much,  that  kind,  it  is  thought,  will  be  scarce 
in  the  course  of  the  year ;  and  that  of  which  they  eat 
little  or  none  at  all  will  be  abundant. 

There  is  still  another  way  by  which  they  prognosti- 
cate about  the  next  harvest.  It  is  bv  observing  the 

•J  O 

p'anung  of  the  Minister,  which  is  so  adjusted  that  it  is 
liable  to  hitch  up  too  high  or  sag  too  low.  Now  if 
while  he  is  holding  the  plow,  his  p'anung  sags  lo\v  down 
near  the  ankles  it  is  an  indication  that  the  rain  in  the 
course  of  the  year  will  be  scarce,  and  the  water  so  low 
that  it  can  be  waded  without  pulling  up  the  p'anung 
at. all.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  his  p'anung  hitch  up 
near  his  knees,  it  denotes  that  there  will  be  much  rain, 
and  the  country  inundated.  Both  these  conditions  are 
looked  upon  as  extremes,  and  threaten  the  ruin  of  the 
rice  crop.  The  p'anung  abiding  midway  between  the 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  267 

ankles  and  the  knees  is  regarded  as  the  most  propitious 
of  all  conditions. 


July  18th,  the  15th  of  the  Siamese  8th  waning  moon. 
All  Buddhists  who  have  much  veneration  for  their 
religion  anticipate  this  season  by  making  special  pro- 
vision in  behalf  of  the  priests  to  serve  them  for  a  term 
of  three  months  on  which  they  then  enter,  and  during 
which  they  are  deprived  of  the  privilege  of  traveling 
so  far  from  the  temples  to  which  they  belong  as  to 
make  it  necessary  to  spend  a  night  away  from  them. 
For  their  comfort  during  this  term  of  confinement,  all 
classes  set  themselves  to  provide  for  them  parched  rice 
and  corn,  flowers  that  never  fade,  both  natural  and 
artificial,  silvered  and  gilded  trees,  figures  of  birds  and 
various  animals  beautifully  constructed,  and  made  to 
stand  daily  before  them  in  their  dormitories.  On  the 
day  of  the  15th,  they  are  formally  presented  to  them. 
Of  these  the  priests  take  a  part  and  offer  them  to  the 
idol,  and  place  them  in  order  at  his  feet  to  stand  there 
for  three  months.  Another  part  they  present  to  their 
teachers  and  elders,  and  aged  priests  residing  in  the 
same  temple.  Having  done  this,  the  priests  then 
assemble  together  and  pledge  themselves  to  the  idol, 
and  to  one  another,  that  they  will  not  sleep  out  of  their 
dormitories  until  the  expiration  of  the  three  months. 

THE    SECOND    SEMI-ANNUAL  OATH  OF  ALLEGIANCE,  T'U'  NAM. 

This  takes  place  August  29th,  the  13th  day  of  the  10th 
Siamese  waning  moon.  The  ceremonies  for  administer- 
ing and  taking  the  oath  are  the  same  as  the  first  time 
on  the  24rth  March. 


.268  THE   PEARL  OF  ASIA. 

THE  AWK  WASA  HOLIDAYS 

occur  on  the  29th  and  30th  September,  and  1st 
October.  The  15th  waxing  of  the  llth  moon  is  the 
day  when  Buddhist  customs  allow  the  priests  to  come 
out  of  their  confinement  in  the  temples  and  travel  as 
far  away  from  home  as  they  please.  To  provide  for 
them  suitable  clothing  during  their  wanderings,  extra- 
ordinary efforts  are  made  by  fhe  laity,  from  the  highest 
to  the  lowest,  in  anticipation  of  these  days. 

The  King,  especially,  takes  care  to  have  innumerable 
bales  of  white  cotton  shirtings  cut  up  into  small  pieces, 
and  then  sewed  together  into  large  priest  robes  to 
imitate  apparel  made  up  of  patchwork  (for  Buddhist 
priests  in  the  beginning  clothed  themselves  with  rags, 
to  show  their  self -mortification).  These  robes  are  after- 
ward died  yellow.  They  are  not  all,  nor  the  greater 
part,  presented  to  the  priests  on  either  of  those  days. 
A  whole  month  is  required  to  finish  the  offerings. 
There  is  on  those  three  days  a  general  devotion  to 
works  of  merit  making. 

The  King  of  Siam  has  on  each  evening  a  public 
exhibition  of  his  own  personal  offerings  made  with 
particular  reference,  it  is  said,  to  Buddha's  footprint 
near  the  sea-shore  in  a  distant  country  unknown,  which 
can  only  be  reached  by  water  conveyances.  Conse- 
quently the  offerings  are  made  on  the  river.  They 
consist  of  little  skiffs  and  plantain  stalk  floats ;  some 
in  pagoda  form,  towering  ten  or  twelve  feet ;  some 
bearing  images  of  birds  and  beasts,  real  and  fabulous; 
with  other  varieties  innumerable;  all  splendidly 
illuminated  with  wax  candles.  These  offerings  are 
floated  off  in  regular  succession,  one  by  one,  by  the 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  269 

ministration  of  His  Majesty's  servants,  he  himself 
being  present  in  his  royal  seat  on  the  river.  The 
offerings  float  down  with  the  ebb  tide,  beautifully 
illuminating  the  river  for  several  miles  before  their 
lights  burn  out.  After  this,  many  of  the  naked  floats 
are  captured  by  the  people,  and  each  skiff  is  returned 
by  the  man  who  had  charge  of  it. 

This  part  of  the  ceremony  being  finished  the  King 
then  ignites  a  match  to  the  fire- works  arranged  in 
boats,  in  the  midst  of  the  river,  when  a  new  scene 
breaks  forth.  Fire  trees  are  seen  standing  in  the  river; 
and  by  their  powerful  sulphurous  blaze  illuminate 
much  of  the  city.  Presently  the  glory  of  these  departs, 
and  then  a  line  of  flowering  shrubbery  made  by  fire 
appears,  and  develops  their  varied  flowers,  continually 
changing  their  hue.  After  this,  rockets  and  squibs 
of  great  variety  are  let  off  from  boats. 

The  people  generally  make  their  own  family  offer- 
ings, on  those  three  evenings,  an  hour  or  two  before 
the  King  comes  out  of  his  palace.  You  may  see  them 
all  over  the  city,  on  the  rivers  and  canals  near  their 
homes.  They  consist  of  little  arks  made  of  the  inner 
layers  of  the  stalk  of  the  scilla  maratima,  illuminated 
by  wax  candles,  and  squibs  innumerable  flying  in  the 
open  heavens,  and  frolicking  in  the  water.  The  prevail- 
ing notion  among  the  common  people  seems  to  be 
that  these  fire- works  are  offerings  to  the  goddesses 
of  the  land  and  water,  to  expiate  for  the  sin  of 
polluting  their  domains  with  the  excrement  and  filth 
of  man  and  beast,  as  they  have  done,  during  the  twelve 
months  which  are  then  about  to  close. 

All.  the  time  onward  thence  to  the  first  day  of  the 


270  THE   PEARL   OF-  ASIA. 

12th  waning  moon  is  regarded  as  being  peculiarly 
propitious  for  making  offerings  to  the  priests,  and 
worshiping  the  idol.  About  the  beginning  of  the  12th 
month  the  King  makes  his  appearance  in  his  best  estate, 
being  escorted  by  vast  processions  by  land  and  water, 
carrying  yellow  robes  to  present  to  the  priests  with 
his  own  hands,  at  the  many  temples  dedicated  to  them. 
Fifteen  days  are  almost  wholly  occupied  in  this  way, 
passing  in  great  pomp  from  temple  to  temple.  Three 
or  four  of  the  temples  are  usually  visited  daily. 

Other  temples  not  dedicated  to  the  Kings  are  in  the 
meantime  visited  by  large  parties  of  Buddha's  followers, 
who  unite  together,  in  processions  by  water,  and  carry 
yellow  apparel,  fruits  and  other  things  to  their  priests 
after  the  fashion  set  them  by  their  sovereign. 

About  the  same  time,  many  parties  get  together 
evenings,  and  make  a  great  show  of  lanterns,  gongs, 
and  trumpets  on  the  river,  in  bearing  to  temples  yellow 
garments  and  fruit,  suspended  on  bushes  fixed  in  their 
boats.  Having  arrived  at  their  destination,  the  priests 
come  out  and  pick-them  off  from  the  bushes,  according 
to  their  several  wants.  This  custom  is  said  to  have 
originated  in  the  fact  that  Buddhist  priests  in  olden 
time  lived  in  the  woods,  and  satisfied  their  daily  wants 
by  gathering  wild  fruit  and  old  cast-off  clothing.  Such 
self -mortification  was  highly  praised  by  Buddha. 

THE   KING'S    SECOND    FIRE-WORKS. 

October  28th,  29th,  and  30th;  the  14th  and  15th  of 
the  12th  waxing,  and  1st  of  the  waning.  On  these 
three  days  the  King  has  extraordinary  religious 
services  in  his  palace,  and  late  in  the  evening  of  each 
day  makes  offerings  of  fire-works  publicly  on  the 


THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA.  271 

river,  much  as  on  the  former  occasion,  but  more  com- 
plete and  beautiful.  This  is  the  better  time  of  the  two 
to  witness  these  displays,  as  the  weather  is  almost  sure 
to  be  fine.  His  Majesty  has  made  many  innovations  of 
these  customs,  and  the  fire-works  are  not  as  interesting 
as  they  have  been  wont  to  be.  I  have  mentioned  the 
celebration  of  the  King's  birthday  elsewhere. 


XXIX. 

CUSTOM  OF  THE  SIAMESE  FOR  THE  DYING 
AND  DEAD— CREMATIONS,  ETC. 

The  late  Dr.  D.  B.  Bradley,  one  of  the  early  mission- 
aries that  went  to  Siam  and  who  had  free  entree  into  the 
palace  of  King  Monkut,  wrote  a  series  of  articles  for 
his  calender,  and  to  it  I  am  indebted  for  much  of  the 
following  account  of  the  ceremonies  attending  the 
death  of  a  high  noble  or  King,  he  being  in  attendance 
when  the  late  King  was  cremated. 

When  a  Buddhist  prince  is  found  to  be  at  the  point 
of  death,  his  or  her  attendants,  wishing  to  give  the 
departing  spirit  as  good  a  passport  into  the  spirit 
world  as  it  is  possible  for  surviving  friends  to  do,  sus- 
pend every  other  care,  and  address  themselves  to  the 
one  work  of  fixing  the  thoughts  of  the  dying  man  upon 
Buddha.  To  accomplish  this  object,  they  take  their 
turns  in  enunciating  as  clearly  as  possible  one  of  the 
names  by  which  it  is  known  the  dying  man  was 
accustomed  to  speak  of  his  god  when  in  health.  P'ra 
Arahang  is  one  of  the  names  of  Buddha,  and  is  one 
generally  employed  among  the  Siamese  Princes  when 
they  speak  of  him.  It  is  uttered  as  often  as  eight  or 
ten  times  in  a  minute ;  consequently  you  can  hear  at 
such  times  scarcely  anything  else.  They  do  this 
hoping  that  the  departing  spirit  will  thus  be  helped  to 
think  of  Buddha,  and  that  that  will  accumulate  a  large 
fund  of  merit  to  his  credit,  which  will  become  of  vast 
service  to  him  in  the  spirit  world.  It  is  continued 
-  272 


THE   PEARL    OF    ASIA.  273 

from  ten  to  fifteen  minutes  after  the  pulse  has  stopped 
its  beating  and  the  lungs  their  heaving — even  until 
the  body  is  cold  and  stiff  in  death. 

When  all  evidence  of  hearing  is  gone,  the  attending 
friends  will  raise  their  voices  almost  to  a  stunning 
pitch,  hoping  that  they  may  force  the  departing  spirit 
to  hear  the  name  P'ra  Arahang.  When  the  most  lov- 
ing friends  have  ceased  to  have  any  lingering  hope 
that  the  dying  man  can  by  any  means  hear  them 
longer,  then  the  continuous  and  deafening  sound  of 
P'ra  Arahang  are  exchanged  for  the  most  uncontrollable 
wailings ;  and  these  are  so  loud  that  they  can  be  heard 
at  a  great  distance.  Then  all  the  members  of  the 
family,  including  the  slaves  in  the  house  and  out  of  the 
house,  within  hearing,  join  in  a  general  outburst  of 
crying  and  sobbing,  with  every  evidence  that  their 
hearts  mourn  for  the  departed. 

Dr.  Bradley,  an  eye  witness  of  several  such 
scenes  in  the  Koyal  palace,  states  that  the  most  remark- 
able was  at  the  time  of  the  demise  of  the  first  Queen 
Consort  of  King  Monkut.  The  King  himself  labored 
hard  to  make  the  dying  Queen  hear  the  dear  name 
P'ra  Arahang,  and  when  he  became  weary  in  his  utter- 
ances of  it  others  took  it  up,  and  kept  the  enunci- 
ation of  it  agoing  unbroken  for  an  hour  or  more.  And 
such  weeping  and  wailing  he  had  never  before  seen,  as 
he  heard  then  all  about  the  royal  palace.  The  King 
of  Siam  did  not  think  that  it  was  beneath  his  dignity 
to  weep  on  that  occasion  the  most  bitter  tears. 

When  a  Prince  of  high  rank  has  just  departed  this 
life,  the  King  visits  the  house  of  mourning  and  bathes 
the  corpse  with  simple  water,  doing  it  with  his  own 
hands.  After  him  other  Princes,  in  the  order  of  their 


27-i  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

rank,  step  up  one  by  one,  and  pour  a  dipper  of  water 
upon  it.  Then  come  the  nobles  and  lords  according 
to  their  rank,  and  perform  each  the  same  kind  office 
for  the  remains  of  the  departed.  When  all  the  chief 
princes,  nobles  and  lords  present  shall  have  had  an 
opportunity  to  show  such  respect,  certain  officials  in 
the  royal  palace  concur  together  in  dressing  the 
body  for  a  sitting  posture.  For  this  purpose  they  put 
on  it  a  pair  of  short  pantaloons  tightly  fitted,  and  a 
jacket  also  made  to  fit  snugly.  Over  these  they  apply 
a  winding  sheet,  wrapping  the  body  in  it  as  firmly  as 
possible.  Being  thus  prepared,  the  corpse  is  then 
placed  in  a  copper  urn  in  a  sitting  posture,  and  then 
this  is  put  into  one  made  of  fine  gold.  The  inner  urn 
has  an  iron  grating  for  its  bottom,  and  the  outer  one 
an  outlet  at  the  most  pendant  point,  with  a  stopcock 
from  which  the  fluid  parts  of  the  body  are  daily  drawn 
off  until  it  becomes  quite  dry. 

The  King  usually  remains  until  the  corpse  has  been 
seated  in  the  urn,  and  then  graces  the  ceremony  of 
placing  the  golden  urn  on  an  elevated  platform, 
ascending  by  three  gradations  to  the  height  of  five 
feet.  The  conch  shell  blowers  and  trumpeters  and 
pipers  perform  their  several  parts  with  the  greatest 
possible  harmony  of  such  instruments,  while  the  urn 
is  being  elevated  to  its  place.  This  act  is  denominated 
ChVnp'ra  sop  kVn  p'ra  t'aan — literally  an  invitation 
to  the  corpse  t'o  be  seated  on  the  platform. 

"When  thus  seated,  all  the  insignia  of  royalty  which 
the  Prince  was  accustomed  to  have  about  him  in  life 
are  brought  and  arranged  in  due  order  at  his  feet. 
They  also  place  on  the  platform  his  more  common  per- 
sonal utensils,  as  the  golden  platter  in  which  he  was 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  275 

accustomed  to  have  his  changes  of  raiment  brought  to 
him,  his  gold  betel-box,  his  cigar  case,  his  golden  spit- 
toon, his  writing  apparatus,  etc.  The  band  of  musicians 
above  named  now  perform  a  funeral  dirge ;  and  it  is 
arranged  to  have  them  assemble  daily  at  early  dawn,  and 
atnoon,  and  when  thedayis  just  merginginto  night  to 
perform  in  concert  with  a  company  of  mourning  women, 
who  bewail  the  dead  and  chant  his  virtues  and  excel- 
lencies. These  spend  about  half  an  hour  each  time  in 
these  services.  In  the  intervals  of  these  hours,  there  is 
present  a  company  of  Buddhist  priests,  four  at  a  time, 
sitting  on  the  floor,  a  little  distant  from  the  platform, 
reciting  moral  lessons  and  chanting  incantations  in  the 
Pali  language  in  loud,  clear  and  musical  intonations, 
in  perfect  harmony  as  to  matter  and  tone. 

This  service  is  continued  day  and  night,  with  only  the 
intervals  for  the  performance  of  the  dirges,  and  the 
wailing  of  mourning  woman  as  above  stated,  and  a  few 
minutes  once  every  hour  for  one  company  to  retire  and 
another  of  four  to  come  in  and  take  their  places.  This 
is  kept  up  from  week  to  week  and  month  to  month 
until  the  time  appointed  for  the  burning  of  the  corpse 
has  arrived,  which  may  be  from  two  to  six,  or  even 
eight  months.  The  remains  of  a  king  are  usually  kept 
from  eight  to  twelve  months. 

On  the  death  of  a  king,  as  was  the  case  with  his  late 
Majesty,  his  successor  to  the  throne  immediately  begins 
to  make  arrangements  for  the  erection  of  the  P'ramene, 
which  is  the  splendid  temporary  building,  under  which 
the  body  is  to  sit  in  state  several  days  on  a  throne  glit- 
tering with  silver,  gold  and  diamonds,  and  then  and 
there  to  be  committed  to  the  flames. 

The  building  is  intended  to  be  in  size  and  grandeur 


276  THE    PEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

according  to  the  estimation  in  which  the  deceased  was 
held.  Eoyal  orders  are  forthwith  sent  to  the  gov- 
ernors of  the  four  different  provinces  far  away  to  the 
north,  in  which  large  timber  abounds,  requiring  each  of 
these  to  furnish  one  of  the  four  large  logs  for  the  center 
pillars  of  the  P'ramene.  These  must  be  of  the  finest 
timber,  very  straight,  from  two  hundred  to  two  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  long,  and  proportionately  large  in  circum- 
ference, not  less  than  twelve  feet.  There  are  always 
twelve  pillars,  a  little  smaller  in  size,  demanded  at  the 
same  ti  me  from  governors  of  other  provinces,  as  also  much 
other  timber  needful  in  the  erection  of  the  P'ramene 
and  the  numerous  other  buildings  connected  with  it. 
As  sacred  custom  will  not  tolerate  the  use  of  pillars 
that  have  been  used  on  any  former  occasion,  conse- 
quently new  ones  must  be  obtained  for  every  new 
occasion  of  the  funeral  obsequies  of  a  king.  Those  four 
large  pillars  are  very  difficult  to  find,  and  can  be  floated 
down  to  the  capital  only  at  seasons  of  the  year  when 
the  rivers,  where  they  are  found,  are  full. 

They  are  hauled  to  the  banks  of  the  stream  by  ele- 
phants and  buffaloes.  The  great  difficulty  of  procuring 
these  pillars  is  one  main  cause  of  the  usual  long  delay 
of  the  funeral  burning  for  a  king.  "When  brought  to 
the  city,  they  are  hauled  up  to  the  place  of  the  P'ramene 
chiefly  by  the  muscular  power  of  men  working  by 
means  of  a  rude  windlass  and  rollers  under  the  logs. 
They  are  then  hewed  and  planed  a  little,  just  enough  to 
remove  all  crooks  and  other  deformities,  and  finished 
off  in  a  cylindrical  form. 

Then  they  are  planted  in  the  ground  thirty  feet 
deep,  one  at  each  corner  of  a  square  not  less  than  one 
hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  circumference.  "When  in 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA.  .  277 

their  proper  places,  they  stand  leaning  a  little  towards 
each  other,  so  that  they  describe  the  form  of  a  four- 
sided  truncated  pyramid,  from  one  hundred  and  seventy 
to  two  hundred  feet  high.  O  n  the  top  of  these  is  framed 
a  pagoda-form  spire,  adding  from  fifty  to  sixty  more 
feet  to  the  height  of  the  structure.  This  upper  part  is 
octagonal,  and  so  covered  with  gilded  and  tinseled 
paper  as  to  make  a  grand  appearance  at  such  a  height; 
but  it  would  not  well  bear  inspection  at  a  close  view. 

At  each  of  the  four  corners  of  this  pyramid  they 
erect  by  means  of  the  twelve  smaller  posts  mentioned 
above  a  wing  extending  out  from  the  main  pillars  about 
forty  feet.  Each  of  these  has  also  a  pagoda-form  spire 
of  the  same  general  form  and  appearance  as  the  center 
one,  but  not  as  tall  by  thirty  or  forty  feet.  The  large 
as  well  as  the  smaller  pillars  are  handsomely  papered, 
as  are  also  all  the  halls  of  which  they  form  the  bound- 
ary. Between  each  of  these  corner  buildings  is  a  splendid 
porch  looking  to  each  cardinal  point  of  the  compass. 

Surrounding  the  P'ramene  there  is  a  new  fence  made 
of  bamboo  slats  in  an  upright  position,  ten  feet  high, 
the  paling  being  so  closely  set  that  you  can  not  see 
through  it.  It  encloses  a  large  square  of  ground,  and 
has  only  one  gate  midway  on  each  side.  In  close  con- 
tiguity with  this  fence  on  the  inside  are  numberless 
and  indescribable  buildings  mostly  made  of  bamboo, 
fantastically  papered  and  painted,  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  priests,  princes,  noblemen  and  others.  One 
side  of  the  square  is  chiefly  occupied  with  buildings  for 
the  King's  own  accommodation  while  attending  the 
ceremonies  of  the  royal  cremation.  These  are  dis- 
tinguished from  all  others  by  having  their  roofs  covered 
with  crimson  cloth,  and  by  the  peculiar  curved  horn- 


278  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

like  projections  at  the  two  ends  of  their  ridges,  and  the 
golden  drapery  suspended  in  front  and  tastefully  gath- 
ered up  to  the  several  posts  of  the  halls.  The  whole  area 
occupied  by  houses  and  other  fixtures  is  curiously  and 
neatly  covered  with  bamboo  wicker  work;  the  slats  of 
which  the  woof  and  warp  are  made  beingabout  an  inch 
wide,  forming  thus  one  unbroken  bamboo  carpet,  giv- 
ing great  elasticity  and  squeaking  to  the  steps  of  all 
who  walk  upon  it.  There  are  placed  here  and  there 
upon  this  bamboo  floor  multitudes  of  standards  pecu- 
liar to  the  Siamese.  Some  are  like  the  Sawe-krachat, 
one  of  the  insignia  of  royalty,  or,  in  other  words,  the 
royal  umbrella  of  nine  stories,  several  inches  apart, 
connected  by  one  common  staff.  These  stories  become 
smaller  as  you  ascend ;  the  uppermost  one  being  less 
than  a  foot  in  diameter,  and  the  one  at  the  bottom  four 
feet  or  more.  Some  of  these  are  seven  stories,  and  some 
only  five.  There  are  several  other  indescribable  stand- 
ards and  fixtures  thickly  studding  the  floor,  some  of 
them  tinseled,  some  of  them  gilded,  some  with  machin- 
ery exhibiting  a  variety  of  little  paper  figures  in 
perpetual  action,  some  imaginary  angels,  some  devils, 
and  some  suffering  souls  in  hell.  Here  and  there  you 
will  see  a  niche  with  rude  landscape  views  of  the  lower 
series  of  the  Buddhist's  celestial  worlds,  and  of  princely 
dwellings  there,  with  delightful  pools  and  groves,  and 
many  other  sensual  luxuries,  which  the  mind  fancies  a 
heaven  of  happiness  must  give  its  inhabitants. 

Outside  of  the  bamboo  walls  are  various  buildings 
designed  for  the  accommodation  of  princes,  officers  of 
government,  and  others  who  can  not  find  sufficient 
room  within  the  enclosure.  There  are  also  numerous 
play-houses  for  theatrical  performances,  puppet  shows, 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  279 

masquerades,  turning  summersaults  on  rods  highly  ele- 
vated, wire  dancing,  leaping  through  hoops  from  aloft, 
lying  on  the  pokits  of  spears,  sword  and  cudgel  sham 
fighting,  wrestling,  etc. 

There  is  also  one  other  place  outside  of  the  P'ramene 
gates  more  interesting  to  many  than  those  already 
alluded  to :  and  this  is  the  great  victualing  establish- 
ment for  all  classes  above  the  peons,  presenting  a  large 
variety  of  dishes  and  fruits,  well  prepared,  and  very 
tempting  to  the  appetite,  all  freely  offered  without 
money  and  without  price,  at  all  hours  of  the  day. 

If  there  be  a  second  king,  he  has  a  temporary  palace 
erected  for  his  accommodation  out  of  the  enclosure,  on 
the  north  side,  which  is  distinguished  from  all  other 
buildings  by  a  crimson-colored  roof,  royal  horns,  and 
golden  drapery  like  that  of  the  first  king. 

The  real  P'ramene  is  erected  in  the  center  of  the 
whole,  in  the  great  hall  directly  under  the  loftiest 
spire.  This  is  a  most  splendid  eight-sided  pyramid, 
fifty  or  sixty  feet  in  circumference,  its  base  sitting  on  a 
floor  twenty  feet  above  the  ground.  It  diminishes  by 
right-angle  gradations  upward  some  thirty  feet  to  a 
truncated  top,  and  on  its  top  is  placed  the  golden  urn, 
containing  the  remains,  most  superbly  decorated  with 
gold  and  diamonds  and  other  precious  stones.  Some 
ten  or  fifteen  feet  above  this  is  suspended  from  the 
lofty  ceiling  a  rich  golden  canopy.  And  far  up  above 
that  is  a  tasty  white  circular  awning  overshadowing 
the  whole.  Immediately  under  the  golden  canopy 
hang  the  sweetest  and  whitest  flowers,  arranged  in  the 
form  of  a  large  chandelier. 

The  body  of  the  pyramid  is  made  indescribably 
brilliant  by  the  tasty  arrangement  on  its  several 


280  THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

steps  of  the  most  show}'  articles  of  porcelain,  glass,  ala- 
baster, silver  and  gold  artificial  flowers,  and  artificial 
fruits  intermixed  with  real  fruits ;  little  images  of  birds 
and  beasts,  of  men,  women,  children,  angels,  etc.  For 
illuminating  the  hall,  splendid  chandeliers  are  sus- 
pended from  the  ceiling  in  the  four  corners  of  it,  being 
assisted  by  innumerable  lesser  lights  on  the  angular 
gradations  of  the  pyramid. 

At  the  time  appointed  for  placing  the  royal  remains 
in  state  on  the  lofty  throne,  nearly  all  the  princes, 
chief  nobles,  and  rulers  in  the  kingdom  assemble  at  the 
royal  palace  just  after  break  of  day,  to  escort  uthe 
sacred  corpse"  to  its  last  earthly  throne  on  the  summit 
of  the  new  P'ramene.  The  golden  urn,  already  most 
brilliantly  decked  with  diamonds,  is  placed  upon  a  high 
golden  seat  in  a  kind  of  Juggernaut  car,  drawn  by  a 
pair  of  horses,  assisted  by  hundreds  of  men.  This 
vehicle  is  preceded  by  two  other  wheel  carriages.  The 
first  is  occupied  solely  by  the  high  priest  of  the  king- 
dom, sitting  on  a  high  seat,  reading  a  sacred  book  of 
moral  lessons  in  Pali,  called  app'it'am.  The  second 
carriage  is  occupied  by  a  few  of  the  most  favored  of 
the  children  of  the  deceased.  A  strip  of  silver  cloth 
six  inches  wide  is  attached  to  the  urn,  and  loosely 
extended  to  the  seats  of  the  royal  highnesses  in  the 
second  carriage,  and  to  the  thighs  of  the  high  priest, 
over  which  the  other  end  lies,  while  the  procession  is 
moving.  This  forms  the  mystical  union  between  the 
deceased  and  the  sacred  book  and  his  children.  The 
carriage  next  behind  the  one  bearing  the  royal  urn 
carries  some  fifty  or  sixty  sticks  of  imported  fragrant 
wood,  richly  gilded  at  the  ends,  with  which  the  body 
is  to  be  burned.  Each  of  these  carriages  is  drawn  by 


Tl.K    1'EARL    OF    ASIA.  281 

a  pair  of  horses,  with  scores  of  men  to  assist,  all  pull- 
ing at  a  rope  in  front  of  the  animals. 

Both  in  their  front  and  rear  are  figures  of  elephants, 
rhinoceroses,  lions,  tigers  and  fabulous  animals  of 
many  kinds,  utterly  defy  ing  description.  These  are  all 
made  of  bamboo  wicker  work,  covered  with  paper,  and 
painted  to  suit  the  prurient  fancies  of  Buddhists.  These 
all  go  in  pairs,  and  are  all  drawn  on  small  wooden 
wheels.  Each  of  the  figured  animals  have  on  their 
backs  a  large  receptacle  for  priests'  robes,  which  are 
well  filled  with  this  article,  neatly  folded,  ready  for 
offering.  In  front  of  these  and  in.  their  rear  are  hun- 
dreds of  men  dressed  in  white,  purporting  to  be  angels, 
wearing  white  turbans  with  pagoda-form  spires  or 
crowns  eight  or  ten  inches  tall.  These  walk  four 
abreast,  and  carry  glass  imitation  lotus  flowers. 

The  moment  the  procession  begins  to  move,  the 
shells,  trumpets  and  pipes  are  sounded,  and  the  death 
drums  are  beaten  with  a  slowly  measured  stroke,  until 
the  royal  hearse  reaches  the  P'ramene.  Having  arrived, 
the  golden  urn  is  removed  from  the  hearse,  and  placed 
upon  a  kind  of  railroad  bridge  fifty  or  sixty  feet  long, 
one  end  of  it  resting  on  the  ground,  and  the  other  on 
the  top  of  the  P'ramene,  at  an  angle  of  fort}7  degrees 
or  more.  On  this,  theurn  is  drawn  up  slowly  by  ropes 
and  pullies  with  much  ceremony  and  placed  on  the 
splendid  throne,  to  remain  in  state  at  least  fifteen  days 
before  the  burning. 

Having  placed  the  royal  urn  on  the  top  of  the  P'ra- 
bencha,  or  P'ramene  pyramid,  they  then  take  the  strip 
of  silver  cloth,  which  had  been  the  mystic  communica- 
tion between  the  deceased  and  his  children  and  the  sacred 
book  while  in  the  procession,  and  extend  it  from  the  lid 


282  THE    PKARL    OF    ASIA. 

of  the  golden  urn  down  the  eastern  and  western  sides 
of  the  pyramid,  and  thence  on  a  Brussels  carpet,  pro- 
tected by  white  muslin,  nearly  to  the  flight  of  steps  on 
the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  building.  It  is  about 
noon  when  this  is  completed. 

Then  the  chief  priests  of  the  city  and  from  nearly 
all  other  parts  of  the  kingdom  begin  to  assemble,  a  hun- 
dred or  more  at  a  time,  on  the  floor  of  the  P'rSrnOne, 
in  sight  of  the  royal  urn,  and  rehearse  in  concert  lessons 
in  Pali,  called  P'ang-soo-k'oon, , which  are  in  substance 
"  reflections  on  the  brevity  and  uncertainty  of  human 
life,  the  certainty  of  death  and  transmigration,  the 
sorrows  inseparably  connected  with  every  state  of 
mutability,  and  the  blessings  of  Nipp'an,  where  there 
can  be  no  more  change."  Having  uttered  audibly 
these  short  lessons,  they  continue  in  a  sitting  posture 
with  downcast  looks  a  few  minutes,  reflecting  silently 
on  the  condition  of  the  living  and  the  dead,  and  then 
retire,  giving  place  to  another  hundred  or  more,  to 
recite  the  same  lessons,  and  to  exercise  their  moral 
natures  with  similar  reflections.  Thus  they  come  and 
retire,  until  thousands  of  the  chief  priests  and  others 
of  lower  rank  have  had  the  privilege  and  honor  to  en- 
gage in  this  exercise,  and  this  is  repeated  every  day  the 
corpse  sits  in  state,  and  three  days  afterwards. 

All  the  princes  and  nobles,  and  officers  of  govern- 
ment taking  a  part  in  the  funeral  solemnities  are 
dressed  in  white,  as  are  also  the  royal  servants,  and 
most  of  the  servants  and  slaves  of  the  princes  and 
nobles.  Every  Siamese  subject,  whether  prince  or 
noble,  governor  or  plebeian,  men  and  women,  rich  and 
poor,  bond  and  free,  must  then  out  of  respect  to  the 
deceased  have  his  head  entirely  shaven,  thus  showing 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  283 

to  all  his  neighbors  that  he  is  truly  in  mourning  for  the 
dead.  This  differs  from  the  European  custom  of 
putting  on  mourning,  in  that  it  requires  the  putting  off 
the  natural  and  pleasant  clothing  of  the  head,  and 
putting  on  entire  baldness  and  desolation,  and  the 
putting  off  all  their  usual  dress  of  figured  apparel,  and 
putting  on  the  plainest  white  muslin,  which  they  regard 
as  being  entirely  devoid  of  show,  and  therefore  a  fit 
emblem  of  sadness  of  spirit. 

It  is  arranged  that  there  shall  be  four  common  priests 
rehearsing  Pali,  every  hour  of  the  day  and  night,  as 
when  before  the  corpse  was  brought  to  the  P'ramene, 
and  for  this  purpose  the  four  corners  of  the  P'ramene 
hall  are  reserved  for  four  companies  of  four  each,  to  sit 
down  and  perform  this  service ;  but  only  one  company 
at  a  time,  continuing  the  exercise  nearly  an  hour.  Then 
the  next  four  in  order  take  their  turn  for  the  same 
length  of  time,  and  so  on  for  twenty-four  hours ,  at 
the  expiration  of  which  another  band  of  sixteen, 
divided  into  four  companies,  come  and  take  theirplaces 
and  serve  in  the  same  way  twenty-four  hours  ;  and  then 
these  are  relieved  by  another  band  of  sixteen,  and  so 
on  day  and  night.  No  company  who  have  served 
twenty-four  hours  are  called  to  that  service  again. 
These  services  are  continued  from  fifteen  to  nineteen 
days  ;  that  is,  until  the  protracted  meeting  breaks  up. 

These  priests,  together  with  the  multitudes  of  other 
priests,  are  sumptuously  fed  from  the  royal  bounty  early 
every  morning  and  again  between  eleven  and  twelve 
o'clock  A.  M.  Extraordinary  attention  is  paid  to  the 
priests  by  all  parties,  from  the  King  down  to  the  slaves, 
as  that  is  accounted  the  most  ready  wray  to  obtain 
great  profits  in  merit  making.  The  King  himself  spends 


284  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

a  large  portion  of  each  day  of  the  ceremonies  in  dis- 
tributing to  the  priests  yellow  robes,  which  he  has 
caused  to  be  prepared  for  them,  at  the  expense  of  his 
private  purse.  To  every  chief  priest  he  gives  a  com- 
plete suit  of  clerical  apparel,  and  to  every  other  priest 
presents  some  important  part  of  a  suit,  if  not  the  whole. 

If  the  King  be  necessarily  absent,  he  deputizes  his 
eldest  son  to  distribute  in  his  stead.  Besides  the  yellow 
robes,  the  King  has  also  in  readiness  vast  provision  of 
bedsteads  fully  furnished  with  mosquito  bars,  mat- 
tresses, pillows,  towels,  spittoons,  betel  boxes,  cigar 
cases,  rice  kettles,  lacquered  trays  and  other  dishes  for 
collecting  rice,  lamps,  candles,  sampans,  and  boats  with 
little  houses  on  them,  and  other  articles  which  the 
priests  need  in  their  daily  calling.  These  things  he  dis- 
tributes to  them  .every  day. 

Twice  every  day,  morning  and  evening,  the  King 
invites  one  of  the  chief  priests  to  preach  to  him  and 
the  princes,  nobles  and  others.  The  exercise  is  simply 
to  read  from  Pali  sacred  book  some  of  the  lessons  of 
Buddha.  The  priest  does  this  sitting  cross-legged  in 
a  large  chair,  in  the  hall  of  the  P'ramene,  or  in  the 
audience  hall  of  the  King's  temporary  abode  on  the 
premises,  while  all  his  hearers  sit  bowed  forward  on 
their  elbows,  with  the  palms  of  their  hands  met  before 
their  faces,  most  reverently  looking  at  the  reader  whose 
Pali  not  one  in  a  hundred  of  them  understands  at  all. 

Sometimes  the  princes  and  nobles,  in  their  desire 'to 
make  as  much  of  the  occasion  as  possible  to  add  to 
their  stock  of  merit,  arrange  to  have  preaching  in  other 
places  about  the  P'ramene,  on  their  own  responsibility, 
and  embrace  the  opportunity  to  make  liberal  presents 
to  the  preacher  and  other  priests  after  the  exercises. 


TUP]    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  285 

At  early  candle  lighting,  the  P'ramene  is  most  brill- 
iantly illuminated  within  and  without  by  electric  lights, 
and  wax  candles,  and  cocoanut  oil.  Then  sundry  plays 
are  initiated;  theNang  cheen,  the  Nang  k'aak,  and  the 
Nangt'ai — -that  is,  leather  theatrical  figures  moved 
about  by  the  hands  of  men  behind  a  thin,  white  muslin 
screen  lighted  from  behind  by  a  blazing  fire  ;  and  these 
are  of  Chinese,  Malay  and  Siamese  dramas.  In  another 
place  before  the  royal  hall  you  will  see  the  figure  of 
a  huge  fabulous  animal,  animated  by  a  boy  within  him. 
walking  hither  and  thither  to  catch  what  appears  to 
be  a  large  globe  of  fire,  continually  eluding  the  jaws  of 
the  monster,  and  sometimes  almost  swallowed  by  him. 
Also,  the  lantern  dance,  in  which  about  fifty  perform- 
ers take  part,  each  carrying  a  lantern. 

About  eight  or  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  fire, 
works  come  off,  being  occasionally  ignited  by  the  King 
himself.  You  first  hear  the  crackling  of  the  matches, 
then  you  see  the  sulphuric  fire  and  smoke  running  up 
tall  bamboo  poles,  and  extending  out  into  branches. 
Presently  you  see  a  dozen  tall  trees  of  fire,  throwing 
an  intense  light  over  all  the  premises.  These  quickly 
burn  out,  and  another  flash  brings  into  view  beautiful 
fire  shrubbery.  In  a  minute  or  two  they  blossom  roses, 
dahlias,  oleanders,  and  other  flowers  of  all  hues,  and 
the  most  beautiful,  continually  changing  their  color, 
like  a  chameleon,  until  they  all  fade  out  into  darkness. 
Presently  you  are  startled  by  the  report  of  rockets 
sent  up  from  various  places  in  rapid  succession,  being 
altogether  a  hundred  or  more,  showing  clearly  that  the 
Siamese  are  not  far  behind  the  times  in  this  art.  Immed  i- 
ately  after  this,  you  will  hear  a  terrible  roaring  like 
the  bellowing  of  a  dozen  elephants,  with  an  occasional 


286  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

crash  like  the  bursting  of  a  small  engine  boiler.  They 
are  fireworks  called.  Ch'ang  rawng,  which  means  "  bel- 
lowing elephants."  This  unearthly  noise  and  confus- 
ion is  kept  up  from  ten  to  fifteen  minutes,  when 
suddenly  you  will  hear  innumerable  fire-birds  chirp- 
ing, quacking,  buzzing,  and  see  them  hopping  in  all 
directions.  Some  of  them  ascend  high  up  in  the  air, 
and  burst  with  a  small  sputtering  report.  Here  and 
there  on  the  top  of  a  small  staff  are  a  kind  of  whirligig 
propelled  by  weak  gun-powder  ;  some  revolving  slowly, 
exhibiting  puppit  figures;  some  whirling  rapidly,  turning 
out  showers  of  sulphurous  scintillations.  Having  in 
about  fifteen  minutes,  had  enough  of  these  things,  they 
are  exchanged  for  mimic  volcanic  eruptions,  which, 
though  on  a  small  scale,  are  attended  with  great  roaring 
and  forcible  jets  of  ignited  sulphur  and  iron,  ascend- 
ing like  water  spouts,  and  falling  in  golden  showers. 
It  is  well  that  only  one  crater  is  in  action  at  a  time, 
and  that  not  exceeding  a  minute  in  duration ;  beginning 
with  a  low  rumbling  noise,  and  increasing  in  power, 
until  it  suddenly  exhausts  itself  by  a  terrible  belch  of 
fire.  Then  fehe  man  in  charge  places  another  artificial 
crater  into  the  same  place,  which  almost  instantly 
ignites,  and  acts  just  as  its  antecedent  did.  So  they 
keep  them  going  until  fifty  or  more  have  been  fired. 
These  plays  and  sports  continue  till  about  midnight, 
when  the  King  leaves  his  temporary  abode  and  retires 
to  his  home  in  the  royal  palace.  This  is  received  as  a 
license  for  all  others  to  retire  who  wish  to  do  so ;  and 
accordingly  the  most  go  to  their  several  abodes.  But 
the  priests,  whose  turn  it  is  to  watch  and  rehearse  the 
Pali  lessons  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night,  remain,  as 


THK    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  287 

do  also  the  keepers  of  the  premises,  numbering  many 
hundreds. 

There  is  one  other  performance  usually  more  excit- 
ing than  all  the  rest,  and  belongs  to  the  latter  part  of 
the  afternoon  of  every  day  of  the  funeral  ceremonies. 
It  is  the  scattering  of  money  broadcast  among  the 
many  thousands  that  have  assembled  there  for  the 
sport.  The  King  takes  personally  a  very  lively  part  in 
it,  though  he  has  his  own  select  company  to  favor  by 
it,  who  are  princes,  nobles,  officers  of  government,  and 
European  and  American  officials.  The  pieces  of 
money  used  for  the  purpose  are  seven-and-a-half  cent 
pieces  of  silver,  and  sixty  cent  pieces  of  gold,  and  some- 
times gold  rings.  These  are  usually  imbedded  in  little 
green  limes,  or  small  balls  of  wood  of  the  same  shape 
and  size.  The  object  of  this  is  to  prevent  them  from 
getting  lost  among  the  crowd.  His  Majesty  standing 
in  his  temporary  palace  door,  having  bushels  of  limes 
at  his  feet,  charged  each  with  one  piece  of  money,  takes 
up  a  handful  at  a  time,  and  throws  them  out  among 
the  large  select  audience  before  .him,  often  so  skillfully 
guiding  his  hand  as  that  some  peculiar  favorite  shall 
have  the  best  chance  in  the  game — some  corpulent 
prince  or  minister  whom  he  wishes  to  set  into  ludicrous 
motion  by  his  efforts  to  catch  the  flying  prize. 

The  money  thrown  to  the  common  people  is  also  put 
into  limes  and  paper  balls,  and  thrown  by  persons 
appointed  by  the  King  to  do  it  in  his  name.  The  coins 
are  first  arranged  like  apples  thickly  set  on  eight  trees, 
or  what  purport  to  be  trees,  standing  on  so  many 
small  mounds,  here  and  there  on  the  premises  outside 
of  the  P'ramene  enclosure.  These  trees  are  called  ton 
kappap'ruk,  or  ton  karea  p'ruk — literally  trees  that 


288  THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.. 

> 

gratify  the  desires  of  man.  They  are  intended  to  rep- 
resent the  four  trees  that  are  to  be  found  one  in  each 
of  the  four  corners  of  the  city,  in  which  the  next  Bud- 
dha is  to  be  born  ;  which  will  bear,  not  only  money,  but 
every  thing  else  that  man  shall  need  for  his  comfort 
under  his  reign. 

Each  artificial  tree  is  thought  to  have  hanging  upon 
it  about  one  hundred  ticals  worth  of  money  in  silver 
and  gold ;  and  four  men  ascend  each  mound  to  pluck 
the  fruit  by  handfuls,  and  cast  them  to  the  crowd  of 
men  who  stand  as  compacted  as  it  would  seem  possible 
for  them  to  live.  Every  throw  is  instantly  followed 
by  a  universal  shout  from  the  multitude,  and  a  rush 
for  the  prize.  And  then  they  surge  hither  and  thither 
like  a  forest  swayed  by  a  mighty  wind.  Thousands 
engage  in  this  kind  of  sport.  It  ta-kes  but  about  fifteen 
minutes  to  pluck  all  the  fruit  from  those  trees,  and  then 
the  game  is  over.  It  is  a  rare  thing  for  a  man  to  catch 
more  than  two  or  three  limes. 

There  is  still  another  mode  of  dispensing  the  royal 
gifts  on  such  occasions.  And  that  is,  to  divide  them 
into  lots  with  a  slip  of  palm  leaf  attached  to  each  lot, 
and  a  copy  of  each  on  another  slip,  which,  being  rolled 
un,  and  put  into  a  paper  ball  or  lime,  is  thrown  out 
by  the  King  to  his  favored  audience.  He  sometimes 
adopts  a  similar  mode  in  dispensing  his  favors  to  com- 
panies of  the  chief  priests.  But  on  arranging  lots  for 
the  priests,  he  will  take  care  of  course  that  only  such 
things  as  are  suitable  to  them  as  priests  shall  be  put 
into  the  lots,  and  usually  the  most  costly  articles  are 
arranged  for  them,  suits  of  yellow  robes,  bedsteads, 
sampans,  and  boats  with  covers.  Lots  designed  for  the 
laity  comprise  silver  and  gold  pieces  of  money,  finger 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  289 

rings  of  pinch-beck  and  gold;  small  silver  and  gold 
artificial  shrubbery,  some  of  which  have  on  them  the 
various  silver  and  gold  coins  of  the  country;  fans,  nap- 
kins, wash  bowls,  goblets,  etc. 

The  forenoon  of  every  day  is  occupied  by  the  laity, 
comprising  princes,  lords,  masters  and  servants,  in  wait- 
ing upon  the  multitude  of  the  priests  at  their  breakfast 
and  dinner ;  and  helping  them  to  betel,  cigars  and  tea, 
together  with  nameless  and  innumerable  little  atten- 
tions ;  and  in  the  meantime  taking  good  care  to  feed 
themselves  bountifully,  as  it  were,  from  the  second 
tables.  The  afternoons  are  spent  in  serving  the  priests 
to  their  tea,  betel  and  cigars,  conversing  with  them, 
hearing  their  preaching,  looking  at  theatrical  perform- 
ances, sham  fighting,  boxing,  wire  dancing,  somersault 
adventures,  catching  the  King's  gratuitous  lottery 
tickets,  and  scrambling  for  the  flying  money.  Every 
day  appears  to  be  a  perfect  copy  of  the  one  preceding 
it,  until  the  afternoon  of  the  burning. 

Then  the  golden  urn  containing  the  corpse  is  removed  ' 
from  the  top  of  the  pyramid  and  the  copper  urn 
taken  out  of  the  golden  one.  This  has  an  iron  grating 
at  the  bottom  overlaid  with  spices  and  fragrant  pow- 
ders. All  the  precious  articles  with  which  the  pyramid 
was  decorated  are  temporarily  removed  from  it,  and 
some  eight  or  ten  feet  of  the  upper  part  of  it  is  taken 
down  to  form  a  place  of  suitable  dimensions  for  the 
burning.  Then  the  fragrant  wood  is  laid  in  order  in 
cross  layers  on  the  platform,  having  a  bellows  attached 
to  the  pile.  Precious  spices  and  fragrant  articles,  many 
in  kind,  are  put  among  the  wood.  A  gunpowder  match 
is  laid  from  a  certain  part  of  the  hall  set  apart  for  the 


290  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

seat  of  the  King,  reaching  to  a  spot  made  particularly 
combustible  in  the  pile  of  wood. 

These  changes  are  made  with  surprising  rapidity. 
All  being  ready,  the  King  takes  electrical  fire,  which 
had  been  preserved  for  such  purposes  for  a  long  time,* 
and  touches  it  to  the  end  of  the  match  at  his  feet. 
This  kindles  a  flame  in  the  midst  of  the  wood.  Imme- 
diately the  next  in  rank  among  the  princes  steps  up 
and  lays  his  large  wax  candle,  lighted  from  a  lamp 
burning  with  the  same  lightning  fire,  and  lays  it  among 
the  wood,  or  on  the  top  of  it,  as  it  may  seem  to  him  the 
most  convenient.  After  him  the  next  prince  in  the 
order  of  rank  does  the  same,  and  so  on  in  that  order, 
until  most  of  the  chief  princes  and  princesses  have 
shown  the  same  sympathy.  Then  the  nobles  and  lords 
out  of  the  royal  family  bring  each  in  quick  succession 
his  wax  candle,  being  first  lighted  by  the  electrical 
fire,  and  lays  it  on  among  the  wood.  At  first  the 
order  is  according  to  rank,  but  this  is  soon  lost  in  the 
hurry  of  the  many  who  wish  to  contribute  their  can- 
dles .before  it  shall  be  too  late.  There  are  many  hun- 
dreds of  wax  candles,  great  and  small,  laid  on  the  wood 
and  cast  into  the  flames  ere  the  burning  has  advanced 
too  far  to  admit  of  any  more.  To  prevent  the  flames 
from  becoming  too  intense  for  the  purpose  intended, 
and  too  great  for  the  safety  of  the  P'ramene  and  its 
appendages,  there  are  several  strong  men  armed  with 
long  handled  dippers,  dashing  on  water  wherever  and 

*  In  the  reign  of  P'ooti  Yawt  Fa,  grandfather  of  his  present 
Majesty,  the  royal  audience  hall  was  destroyed  by  lightning.  It  is 
commonly  believed  that  fire  taken  from  that  conflagration  has  been 
kept  constantly  burning  in  the  palace,  and  is  used  only  on  occasions 
like  the  above. 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  291 

whenever  it  is  required ;  and  there  are  others  armed 
with  iron  pokers,  whose  business  it  is  to  stir  the  fire 
occasionally. 

The  moment  the  pile  of  wood  is  fired,  the  usual 
funeral  band  strike  up  their  dirge,  and  the  company  of 
mourning  women  set  up  their  wailing.  But  this  is  con- 
tinued only  a  few  minutes.  The  time  occupied  in  the 
burning  is  not  more  than  one  hour.  The  fire  is  extin- 
guished a  little  before  all  the  bones  have  been  reduced 
to  ashes.  A  few  of  the  remaining  parts  of  the  bones 
are  carefully  collected  and  deposited  in  a  neat  and  very 
precious  little  golden  urn.  By  the  time  this  is  done 
the  sun  has  set  and  the  P'ramene  is  consequently  left 
in  a  despoiled  state  until  next  morning.  Nevertheless 
the  hall  is  lighted,  and  all  the  usual  exercises  go  on 
through  the  night  as  before.  Early  next  morning,  the 
P'ramene  pyramid  is  restored  to  its  original  splendor, 
and  the  little  golden  urn  of  precious  bones  is  placed  on 
its  summit ;  and  all  the  ashes  left  by  the  burning  are 
put  up  in  clean  white  muslin,  and  laid  in  a  golden- 
platter.  They  are  then  ceremoniously  carried  in  state 
to  the  royal  landing,  and  escorted  by  a  procession  of 
state  barges,  attended  by  the  funeral  band  ;  and  being 
carried  down  the  river  about  a  mile,  are  there  com- 
mitted to  its  waters. 

The  funeral  obsequies  of  a  king  are  continued  three 
days  after  the  burning,  and  the  ceremonies  are  almost 
precisely  the  same  as  those  in  anticipation  of  it,  until 
the  last  day.  On  that  day  a  royal  procession  is  formed 
somewhat  like  that  of  the  first  day,  to  bear  the  charred 
remains  in  the  little  golden  urn  to  a  sacred  depository 
of  such  relics  of  the  kings  of  Siam  within  the  royal 
palace. 


292  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

Very  soon  after  this,  the  servants  of  the  King  proceed 
to  gather  up  all  the  articles  which  it  is  customary  to 
preserve  for  future  funeral  occasions,  the  permanent 
silver  and  gold  stands,  the  golden  canopy,  the  orna- 
ments of  the  pyramid,  etc.  But  the  timber  of  which 
the  P'ramene  and  its  appendages  are  made  is  taken 
down  and  converted  to  other  uses. 

It  sometimes  so  happens  that  there  are  at  the  time  of 
a  burning  for  a  king  one  or  two  more  bodies  of  de- 
ceased princes  of  high  rank  awaiting  an  opportunity 
to  be  turned  quickly  to  dust  by  fire.  These  are  brought 
and  burned  under  the  same  P'ramene ;  but  it  is  first 
shorn  of  its  kingly  glory.  In  such  cases  they  will  be 
placed  in  state  from  three  to  seven  days,  and  then 
burned  with  essentially  the  same  ceremonies  as  obtained 
for  the  body  of  the  King.  If  there  be  two  or  more 
bodies  to  be  burned,  they  will  be  placed  in  state  on  the 
same  pyramid,  in  separate  urns,  and  burned  at  the 
same  time,  separately  on  the  same  platform. 

When  a  P'ramene  is  built  expressly  for  the  burning 
of  a  prince  next  in  rank  to  a  king,  the  style  of  the 
buildings  is  much  the  same  as  those  for  a  king,  but 
much  less  imposing  and  expensive  in  money  and  time. 
Buildings  erected  for  the  funeral  ceremonies  of  a  noble- 
man of  the  first  rank  will  in  general  style  be  the  same 
as  for  a  prince  of  the  first  rank,  and  but  little  inferior 
in  the  outlay  of  money  and  general  appearance.  The 
King  usually  attends  the  funeral  obsequies  of  all  the 
princes  and  chief  officers  of  government  who  die  in  his 
reign.  He  has  temporary  rooms  prepared  for  him  at 
the  place  of  burning,  and  always  ignites  the  wood  by  a 
match  of  electrical  fire,  which  act  is  denominated 
T'awaip'rap'long. 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  293 

The  grand  object  on  all  such  funeral  occasions  is  to 
feast  the  priests,  listen  to  their  Pali  rehearsals  and 
chantings,  and  make  offerings  to  them. 

The  common  people  generally  think  that  such 
honors  bestowed  on  the  priesthood,  and  through  them 
upon  Buddha,  will  surely  accrue  to  the  good  both  of 
those  who  bestow  them  and  the  departed  spirit  of  the 
deceased  whose  funeral  obsequies  they  celebrate.  But 
the  more  intelligent  of  the  new  school  party  of  Bud- 
dhists deny  that  any  good  thereby  comes  to  the 
deceased,  if  his  spirit  shall  have  gone  beyond  the  boun- 
dary of  this  world ;  to  any  one  of  the  sixteen  great  hells 
or  to  any  of  their  appendages.  But  if  the  spirit 
become  a  prate,  or  yak,  or  raska  (which  are  the  evil 
spirits  of  men  roving  about  among  men,  and  often  come 
near  to  their  surviving  relatives,  and  witness  the 
respect  paid  to  them  in  the  spirit  world)  they  too  will 
obtain  great  benefit  by  the  respect  paid  to  Buddha  and 
his  priests  at  their  funerals.  Their  sufferings  will  be 
mitigated,  and  the  term  of  their  banishment  shortened. 
All  new  school  Buddhists  affirm  that  the  grand  motive 
for  these  immensely  expensive  funeral  services  is  sim- 
ply to  follow  old  and  revered  customs,  of  which  nobody 
knows  the  origin,  but  which  have  become  sacred  by 
their  great  antiquity ;  and  also  to  show  to  all  about 
them  that  the  friends  of  the  deceased  are  not  cold  and 
niggardly  in  their  regard  for  him;  but  contrariwise, 
most  affectionate,  noble  and  munificent. 

People  of  but  ordinary  rank,  in  their  funerals,  follow 
essentially  the  customs  of  those  above  them.  But  for 
the  want  of  money,  they  are  obliged  to  burn  their 
dead  in  P'ramenes  of  comparatively  little  show ;  still 


294  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

they  have  the  form  and  fashion  of  the  rich  in  an  humble 
style. 

To  save  the  expense  of  erecting  a  P'ramSne,  they 
often  employ  a  permanent  one,  built  in  connection  with 
some  of  the  larger  temples :  and  by  erecting  a  few 
sheds  get  along  very  well  with  all  the  ceremonies  by 
the  aid  of  the  zayat,  and  other  places  on  the  premises. 
This  class  of  people  always  have  numbers  of  the  priests 
to  recite  Pali  lessons,  preach,  and  receive  their  offerings 
of  yellow  robes,  etc.  They  also  have  fire-works  in  the 
evening  of  one  or  two  days.  Their  ceremonies  usually 
terminate  on  the  third  day.  The  bodies  of  their  dead 
are  kept  but  a  few  days.  Sometimes  they  do  it  by 
putting  them  in  a  tight  coffin,  filled  in  with  lime  and 
sawdust,  and  sometimes  by  burying  them  until  they 
can  have  time  to  attend  properly  to  their  burning. 

But  the  dead  of  the  very  indigent  classes  are  carried 
by  four  men,  on  the  very  day  of  their  death,  together 
with  the  cushion  or  mat  they  died  upon,  to  some  temple, 
and  burned  on  a  small  pile  of  wood,  which  they  bring 
with  them,  or  purchase  on  the  spot.  Sometimes  they 
do  it  themselves,  and  sometimes  employ  a  sexton  called 
Sapparo,  by  paying  him  sixty  cents  for  the  cost  of  wood, 
the  same  sum  for  his  trouble  of  burning  the  body. 

It  is  almost  a  universal  custom  to  bury  all  who  die 
of  small-pox,  cholera,  childbirth,  accident,  suicide, 
murder,  fighting,  etc.,  for  a  month  or  two,  and  then 
disinter  and  burn  their  bodies.  The  reason  given  for 
burying  them  first  is  the  fear  they  have  of  a  supersti- 
tion that  when  their  bodies  are  quickly  burned  their 
spirits  will  come  and  haunt  their  friends,  and  cause 
them  to  die  some  unnatural  and  speedy  death  ;  as  they 
will  be  likely  then  to  be  very  irritable  and  pugnacious, 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  295 

but  will  naturally  get  over  that  in  a  month  or  two,  so 
that  there  will  be  no  more  danger  in  burning  their 
bodies. 

Some  classes  of  criminals  when  executed  are  sub- 
jected also  to  the  horrid  treatment  of  having  their 
bodies  cast  out  in  a  desolate  place,  and  left  for  the  dogs 
and  vultures  to  devour. 


XXX. 

PRACTICE  OF  MEDICINE— NATIVE  DOCTOES. 

The  Siamese  formerly  believed  that  the  human 
system  is  composed  of  four  elements :  water,  wind,  fire 
and  earth;  that  disease  is  simply  a  disarrangement  of 
these  elements;  hence  if  fire  from  without,  the  heat  of 
the  sun,  for  instance,  enters  the  body  in  undue  pro- 
portion fevers,  small-pox,  etc.,  necessarily  follows. 
Each  element  is  claimed  by  the  physicians  to  have  its 
regular  seasons,  similar  to  climatic  changes.  In  the 
native  books  that  they  read  they  are  told  that  during 
such  a  month  that  wind  is  prone  to  prevail  and  beget 
disease,  another  month  fire.  Appoplexy,  they  say,  is 
caused  by  an  internal  wind  blowing  upon  the  heart 
with  such  strength  as  to  rupture  it.  The  theory  of  the 
native  doctors  is  that  all  diseases  are  produced  from  an 
excess  or  diminution  of  one  or  more  of  the  four 
elements.  Wind,  lorn  in  Siamese,  seems  to  be  the 
leading  element,  and  in  nineteen  cases  out  of  twenty 
a  sick  person,  when  questioned,  will  reply  as  to  what 
ails  him,  "pen  lorn,"  it  is  wind.  They  believe  that  it 
enters  the  system  by  inhalation  and  proceeds  to  the 
head  as  wind  enters  into  a  bellows ;  without  it  the 
blood  would  not  flow,  perspiration  cease,  bile  stagnate, 
bowels  inactive  and  the  waste  gates  of  the  system 
remain  closed.  It  is  supposed  that  there  are  two 
divisions  of  wind,  above  and  below  the  diaphragm. 
Rheumatism,  epilepsy,  etc.,  are  caused  by  the  wind 
blowing  upward ;  colic,  pains  in  the  loins,  legs,  etc'.,  by 

*  296 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  297 

its  blowing  downward.  It  is  seldom  that  a  disease 
runs  its  course  without  all  of  the  elements  being  called 
into  play,  water  especially,  as  in  cases  of  dropsy,  which 
is  caused  by  the  fire  not  having  sufficient  force  to  dry 
up  the  water,  as  the  sun  does  the  mists  and  fog,  and 
they  think  that  fever  and  cholera  are  caused  by  the 
invisible  mists  and  vapors  that  exhale  from  the  ground, 
miasma.  They  also  believe  that  spirits,  good  and 
evil,  produce  a  multitude  of  human  ills,  and  the  people 
are  in  continual  dread  of  them,  conscious  of  the 
demerit  that  has  accrued  to  them  since  the  beginning  of 
their  existence,  hence  they  perform  many  acts  in  the 
way  of  propitiating  them.  They  have  an  idea  that 
medicines  have  the  power  to  counteract  the  element 
deranged  and  thus  restore  the  body  to  health.  The 
origin  of  medicine  is  claimed  to  be  miraculous  and  they 
have  nostrums  for  each  and  every  ailment;  for  instance, 
a  remedy  for  the  head  would  be  very  different  from 
that  for  the  bowels.  A  snuff,  a  plaster  to  the  temples 
or  a  wash  for  the  eyes  may  calm  the  wind  in  the  head, 
while  something  entirely  different,  taken  internally, 
will  dissipate  the  storm  in  that  region  upward  or 
downward,  or  through  the  pores  of  the  skin;  wind  may 
also  be  withdrawn  by  cuping,  poulticing,  etc.,  in  fact 
that  health  may  be  restored  by  medicines  which  have 
the  power  to  drive  the  surplus  elements  out  of  the 
system  or  to  parts  of  the  system  that  need  it. 
Giddiness  they  attribute  to  a  deficiency  of  wind  blow- 
ing upward,  hence  a  vacuum  in  the  brain;  their  mode  of 
treatment  is  to  make  the  patient  eat  his  fill  and  then 
go  to  sleep.  For  small-pox  and  cutaneous  eruptions, 
they  use  a  variety  of  medicated  effusions  of  a  cooling 
nature.  If  the  disease  is  from  the  effects  of  too  much 


298  THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA. 

water  they  will  use  drastic  cathartics,  if  from  a  pre- 
dominance of  solids  of  the  earth  they  will  try  to 
render  the  system  more  plastic  by  the  use  of  fluids. 

Their  medicines  are  chiefly  derived  from  the  vege- 
table kingdom  mainly  indigenous  to  the  country,  but 
a  small  portion  is  imported  from  China  by  the  Chinese 
doctors.  Sometimes  they  employ  articles  that  belong 
to  the  animal  kingdom,  such  as  tiger  and  other  bones, 
teeth,  sea-shells,  fish  and  snake  skins,  urine,  eyes  of 
birds,  cats  and  cattle,  snake's  bile  and  other  such  stuff; 
also  saltpeter,  borax,  blue-stone,  lead,  antimony,  salts, 
mercury,  etc.;  they  also  use  aloes  and  gamboge,  and 
of  late  years  quinine  has  become  very  popular  with 
them  as  a  tonic.  In  Bangkok  modern  medicines  are 
extensively  used,  especially  pills.  In  the  interior  the 
old  method  still  prevails  and  the  native  practitioner 
doses  the  unfortunate,  who  may  be  in  his  power,  with 
the  vilest  of  decoctions,  as  there  is  not  a  weed  or  shrub 
that  grows  that  they  do  not  put  to  some  use.  An 
American  physician,  who  was  conversant  with  their 
practice,  assured  me  that  in  one  of  their  prescriptions 
they  had  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  ingredients,  to 
be  taken  in  three  doses,  and  they  are  sure  enough 
doses,  as  the  common  way  of  paying  a  doctor  is  by  the 
potful  thirty  to  sixty  cents  per  pot,  each  holding 
from  two  quarts  to  one  gallon,  and  a  dose  is  as  much 
as  a  man  can  swallow  at  one  time,  frequently  a  quart. 
They  also  make  pills,  some  of  them  of  huge  dimension, 
so  large  that  they  have  to  be  cut  up  and  softened  in  a 
cocoanut  shell  of  water,  then  taken  in  a  fluid  state. 
Fifty  years  ago  tonics  were  unknown  until  introduced 
by  the  western  physicians,  the  native  doctors  account- 
ing it  a  sin  to  use  a  drop  of  ardent  spirits;  but  this 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  299 

dread  has  given  away  before  the  practice  of  drinking 
introduced  by  the  Europeans,  and  now  many  of  the 
Siamese  partake  of  strong  drink  not  only  as  a  medicine, 
but  as  a  stimulant. 

The  native  doctors,  as  a  general  thing,  are  self- 
taught,  but  now  the  King  has  made  arrangements  to 
have  a  large  class  taught  at  Wang  Lang  hospital, 
where  several  eminent  physicians  lecture  and  take 
charge  of  the  classes.  Hitherto  when  a  man  was 
desirous  of  becoming  a  doctor  he  read  one  or  two 
books  or  manuscripts  on  a  special  subject  and  practiced 
in  accordance  with  what  he  had  read.  Sometimes  he 
will  read  a  number  of  books  and  manuscripts,  and  wit- 
ness the  practice  of  an  older  doctor  and  then  in  a  year  or 
so  branch  out  as  a  full-fledged  doctor.  They  make  one 
or  two  diseases  a  specialty,  none  of  them  attempt  to 
become  a  general  practitioner  of  medicine.  They 
know  but  little  in  regard  to  surgery  and  will  send  for 
miles  to  secure  the  services  of  a  foreign  physician. 
Doctors  stand  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  people ; 
they  look  to  them  as  their  natural  protectors,  not  only 
against  the  effects  of  disease,  but  the  spells  that  the 
spirits  may  cast  over  them,  and  when  a  doctor  fails  of 
a  cure  he  always  attributes  it  to  the  spell  of  a  witch 
or  a  spirit  beyond  the  power  of  human  skill  to  avoid, 
and  thus  retains  the  confidence  of  his  dupes.  The 
King  always  has  a  number  of  native  physicians  in  his 
employ  who  live  in  or  near  the  palace.  He  also  has 
two  regular  physicians,  Drs.  Gowan  and  Hayes,  the 
latter  an  American  of  the  modern  school,  and  he  is 
doing  much  towards  advancing  the  young  men  in  the 
hospitals  in  the  study  of  medicine  and  surgery,  intro- 
ducing all  of  the  latest  works  and  medicines.  The 


300  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

princes  and  nobles  now  call  in  a  foreign  physician 
when  they  are  needed,  and  several  physicians  are 
doing  an  extensive  business  in  Bangkok  and  vicinity. 
Thus,  in  the  march  of  progress  they  have  learned  to 
ignore  the  old  custom  of  employing  none  but  native 
doctors,  since  they  have  witnessed  the  remarkable 
cures  effected  and  skillful  operations  performed  by 
the  American  and  other  physicians.  The  Siamese  are 
very  generous  to  their  physicians  and  frequently  after 
the  patient  is  convalescent  he  will  send  presents  to 
him,  the  most  beautiful  and  fragrant  flowers,  in  the 
form  of  chandeliers  and  baskets,  to  be  suspended  in 
his  room. 

The  fee  for  a  "  job  of  healing  "  is  never  less  than 
eight  or  more  than  twenty  ticals,  but  aside  from  this 
the  law  allows  a  special  fee  of  three  and  a  half  ticals 
called  k'wan  kow-k'aya.  This  is  divided  into  two 
parts,  k'wan  kow  consists  of  a  proffer  of  a  tical  and  a 
half  in  silver,  which  is  stuck  on  the  bottom  of  a 
wax  candle,  then  the  candle  is  stood  upright  in  a  brass 
basin  or  some  other  utensil ;  a  little  rice,  salt,  pepper, 
onions,  bananas,  etc.,  is  added  and  an  incantory  form 
recited  over  it  by  the  doctor,  an  offering  to  propitiate  the 
spirit  of  the  great  medical  teacher  Komara-P'at,  who 
lived  during  the  days  of  Buddha,  beseeching  him  to 
exert  his  influence  in  the  spirit  world  over  the  diseases 
of  men.  No  doctor  will  ever  undertake  a  case  if 
this  rite  is  overlooked.  The  kaya  is  two  ticals,  for  the 
cost  of  the  medicine,  be  the  same  little  or  much,  but 
he  can't  claim  it  until  the  patient  is  restored  to  health. 
They  also  have  another  rite,  an  appeal  to  the  spirits 
in  behalf  of  the  patient,  which  they  do  by  moulding 
little  clay  images  of  men,  women,  cattle,  or  some  other 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  301 

symbol  of  animated  nature,  which  they  place  on  a 
small  float  or  stand  made  of  banana  leaf  on  which  he 
puts  the  statuets  together  with  some  rice,  salt,  pepper, 
betel,  ceri  leaf  etc.,  lighting  it  with  a  small  taper  and 
then  carries  it  into  the  street  or  commons  or  sets  it 
afloat  on  the  river  or  canal,  leaving  it  to  care  for  itself. 
This  is  done  in  the  hope  that  the  offering  may  be 
acceptable  to  the  spirits  and  that  they  will  dispel 
the  storm  that  is  beating  on  the  sick  one.  This  is 
called  krabon,  and  if  successful  the  doctor  receives  a 
tical  and  a  half.  The  native  doctor  has  nothing  to 
distinguish  him  from  the  common  run  except  a  box 
that  he  carries  under  his  arm  holding  about  a  half 
bushel  of  pills,  powders  and  other  nostrums. 

One  mode  of  treating  fevers  is  by  water,  medicated 
drinks  and  frequent  bathing  in  tepid  water,  ablutions 
and  fomentations.  A  common  mode  is  showering  the 
patient,  the  attendant  nurse  or  a  priest  blowing  the 
water  from  his  mouth,  which  falls  gently  and  agree- 
ably upon  the  sick  one  like  a  warm  spray.  Some  of 
the  Siamese  remedies  are  valuable,  while  others  are 
ridiculous ;  for  instance,  the  following  for  "  morbific 
fever,"  as  given  by  Bishop  Pallegoix :  "  One  portion 
of  rhinoceros'  horn,  one  portion  of  elephant's  tusk,  one 
of  tiger's  and  the  same  of  crocodile's  teeth,  one  of 
bear's  teeth;  one  portion  composed  of  three  parts 
bones  of  vulture,  raven  and  goose ;  one  portion  of  bison 
and  another  of  stag's  horn;  one  portion  of  sandal. 
These  ingredients  to  be  mixed  together  on  a  stone 
with  pure  water ;  one-half  the  mixture  to  be  swallowed, 
the  rest  to  be  rubbed  into  the  body ;  after  which  the 
fever  will  leave." 

The  following  is  an  abstract  of    a  recipe  for  the 


302  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

worst  type  of  small-pox,  taken  from  a  Siamese  Mss.  of 
the  highest  authority.  It  contains  twenty -eight  ingred- 
ients, to-wit :  One  portion  of  conch  shell;  two  kinds 
of  aperient  fruit,  one  portion  of  each ;  one  portion  of 
asafoetida ;  one  of  borax ;  one  of  ginger ;  nine  kinds  of 
pepper,  including  the  hottest  spices,  a  portion  of  each ; 
four  kinds  of  cooling  roots,  a  portion  of  each; 
two  kinds  of  sour  leaves,  one  portion  of  each ;  one  of 
an  astringent  root;  four  kinds  of  drastic  cathartics, 
including  the  fruit  and  leaves  of  the  Croton  plant,  one 
portion  of  each ;  one  of  rhubarb,  and  one  portion  of 
Epsom  salts.  Boil  in  three  measures  of  water  until 
it  be  diminished  to  one  measure  of  the  decoction, 
then  squeeze  out  the  oily  parts  of  it,  dry  and  pulver- 
ize. A  woman  may  take  one  salung's  weight  of  it.  A 
child  may  take  a  fuang's  weight.  It  will  purge  off 
everything  in  the  bowels." 

The  following  are  specimens  of  medical  recipes 
taken  from  a  Siamese  Mss.  on  the  treatment  of  snake- 
bites. The  author  states  it  as  being  an  import- 
ant fact  to  be  taken  into  consideration  in  forming 
a  diagnosis,  that  the  bite  of  a  venomous  serpent,  and 
indeed  any  other  wound  or  sore  on  the  left  side  of  a 
female  and  right  side  of  a  male,  are  unfavorable  to  a 
cure,  and  that  the  reverse  is  favorable  ;  and  further- 
more, that  there  is  a  difference  in  the  curative  capa- 
bilities of  all  wounds  according  to  the  day  of  the  week 
on  which  they  were  inflicted,  as  there  is  also  in  the 
time  of  the  day — the  morning  being  much  more  favor- 
able than  the  evening. 

One  of  the  prescriptions  comprises  nineteen  ingred- 
ients, among  which  is  a  portion  of  the  jaw  of  a  wild 
hog,  and  one  of  a  tame  hog  and  one  of  a  goat;  a  por- 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  303 

tion  of  goose  bone  and  one  of  a  peacock;  a  portion  of 
the  tail  of  a  fish,  and  one  of  the  head  of  a  venomous 
snake.  These,  being  duly  compounded  and  mixed, 
form  an  excellent  receipt  for  use  in  all  cases  where 
the  venom  has  produced  tetanus  or  lockjaw. 

Another  prescription  is  called  a  general  sternutatory 
to  be  blown  into  the  nose  in  cases  of  a  venomous  bite  or 
other  poisoned  wounds.  It  comprises  seventeen  ingre- 
dients, as  wood,  bark,  nutmeg,  camphor,  flowers,  the 
bile  of  four  kinds  of  venomous  snakes  and  of  a  wild 
hog.  This,  it  is  said,  may  be  used  with  much  utility 
also  by  women  who  can  not  lie  by  the  fire  after  child- 
birth, and  in  cases  of  epilepsy  and  asthma. 

Another  recipe  is  a  compound  to  be  taken  internally, 
being  briefly  as  follows.  The  bile  of  two  kinds  of  buf- 
faloes, of  two  kinds  of  hogs,  of  a  goat,  of  a  sheep,  of 
a  fresh  water  alligator,  of  a  large  tortoise,  of  a  salt 
water  alligator,  of  a  sword  fish,  of  a  shark,  and  of  thirty 
kinds  of  snakes — so  much  for  the  bilious  part  of  it. 
Then  there  is  to  be  added  four  kinds  of  stone,  alum, 
and  ratsbane ;  five  kinds  of  iron,  five  kinds  of  bulbous 
roots,  and  borax;  seven  kinds  of  flowers  and  fruit; 
seventeen  kinds  of  leaves ;  a  little  gum  and  resin  ;  seven 
kinds  of  medicated  water,  etc.,  etc.;  being  in  all  one 
hundred  and  seventy -four  different  ingredients.  These, 
being  all  intimately  mixed,  are  to  be  divided  into  three 
doses.  It  is  termed  a  large  and  excellent  remedy  for 
the  bites  of  all  kinds  of  venomous  snakes. 

Another  is  a  snuff  made  of  five  kinds  of  lotus  flowers, 
calculi  taken  from  the  livers  of  cattle,  many  kinds  of 
animals'  teeth,  several  kinds  of  roots,  two  kinds  of  rats- 
bane, being  twenty-nine  ingredients  in  all.  When  well 
mixed,  rehearse  over  it  some  form  of  incantation  thirty- 


\ 


304  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

seven  times.  Then  add  twenty-two  other  ingredients 
of  equal  parts.  This  is  said  to  heal  all  kinds  of  poi- 
soned wounds. 

Then  follows  a  recipe  for  an  external  application  in 
the  form  of  a  paste  or  poultice,  consisting  of  the  eyes 
of  vultures,  crows  and  cats ;  and  three  kinds  of  animal 
deposition  found  on  trees.  These  having  been  inti- 
mately united,  then  take  nine  wax  candles,  and  place 
them  on  as  many  floats  made  of  plantain  stalk  or 
leaf,  each  ornamented  with  flowers.  Then  the  doctor 
is  to  take  nine  salungs  (each  equal  to  fifteen  cents),  nine 
handf  uls  of  rice,  nine  ceri  leaves,  and  nine  betel  nuts, 
and  make  an  offering  of  them  one  on  each  float  or  altar 
to  the  Teacher  of  Medicine.  Then  he  is  to  take  the 
residue,  rub  together,  dry  in  the  sun,  and  make  into 
slugs.  Then  gild  the  slugs  and  rub  them  up  in  a  little 
water,  and  apply  to  the  wound. 

Following  the  above  is  a  direction  for  an  enchant- 
ment with  a  view  to  call  the  snake  to  suck  out  the 
poison  of  the  wound  which  it  has  inflicted,  viz.:  Take 
proof  spirits  three  bottles.  Let  the  doctor  officiating 
repeat  the  form  of  the  incantation.  Then  let  him  drink 
one  of  the  bottles  of  spirits  and  enchant  over  it.  If 
the  snake  does  not  come,  let  him  take  a  second  bottle 
and  proceed  in  the  same  wa'y.  If  on  drinking  the  third 
bottle,  with  an  enchantment,  the  snake  does  not  come, 
the  patient  must  die.  In  case  the  snake  comes,  let  the 
doctor  take  three  cowries  in  his  hand,  and  then  rehearse 
one  form  of  the  enchantment,  and  then  another  seven 
times  repeated  for  the  purpose  of  charming  the  snake 
to  come  to  the  left  side  of  the  doctor ;  for  if  he  comes 
to  the  right  side  a  contention  will  ensue.  Then  let  the 


THE    PEAKL   OF   ASIA.  305 

doctor  brush  off  the  poison  from  the  wound  with  a 
handful  of  meyom  leaves  seven  times,  when  the  form 
of  incantation  must  be  rehearsed  over  the  three  bottles. 
Then  if  the  patient  can  eat  betel  he  will  get  well. 

SIAMESE   OBSTETRICS. 

Superstition  has  invested  the  whole  subject  of  native 
midwifery  with  the  most  silly  and  ridiculous  notions, 
and  some  very  pernicious  and  cruel.  In  accordance 
with  the  teachings  of  Buddhism,  the  Siamese  believe 
that  there  never  have  been  any  new  creations  of  animal 
or  intelligent  beings,  hence  that  all  living  creatures 
that  ever  have  been,  or  ever  will  be  born,  are  simply 
and  only  transmigrations  from  previous  states  of  exist- 
ence— that  all  mere  animal  beings,  have  once  been  in  a 
higher  state  in  some  previous  life,  in  the  form  of  men 
or  women  on  earth,  or  as  angels  in  heaven  or  devils  in 
hell,  and  that  mankind  have  all  transmigrated  to  their 
present  state  either  from  some  of  the  many  heavenly 
worlds,  or  from  some  of  the  many  infernal  abodes. 

The  native  books  on  midwifery  make  an  earnest 
business  of  teaching  parents  how  they  may  know 
whence  their  new-born  infants  have  come,  and  soberly 
state  certain  signs  by  which  they  may  know  whether 
their  expected  child  is  to  be  a  son  or  daughter. 

Their  books  say  that  there  is  great  choice  to  be  had 
between  the  different  days  of  the  week  on  which  a 
child  shall  be  born — Wednesdays  and  Thursdays  being 
regarded  as  more  favorable  than  any  other  day  for  the 
development  of  vigorous  constitutions  and  bright  intel- 
lects. Children  born  on  Sundays  are  thought  to  be 
peculiarly  liable  to  be  careless  and  reckless  all  their 
days. 

Besides  these  days  of  every  week,  they  pay  much 


306  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

regard  to  other  days,  months  and  years,  which  their 
astrological  books  show  to  be  the  most  auspicious  for 
the  birth  of  children. 

There  are  a  thousand  other  superstitious  observances 
connected  with  this  subject,  which  tend  greatly  to 
enslave  and  dwarf  the  mind  of  the  mother.  Happy 
should  all  other  mothers  be  that  they  have  not  been 
brought  up  under  such  chains  of  ignorance  and  conse- 
quent misery. 

The  superstitions  surrounding  childbirth  are  peculiar 
and  cruel.  Those  who  practice  obstetrics  are  gener- 
ally old  women,  a  doctor  is  seldom  called  in  except  on 
rare  occasions,  and  the  midvvives  endeavor  to  aid 
natural  labor  by  means  of  domestic  medicines,  sham- 
pooning,  etc.,  at  times  doing  much  serious  mischief. 
The  cruelest  part  of  their  procedure  is  immediately 
after  childbirth,  causing  the  mother  to  lie  by  a  hot  fire 
for  a  period  of  from  five  to  thirty  days.  If  it  is  the 
first  child  she  is  doomed  to  lie  thirty  days  within  four 
feet  of  a  fire  always  uncomfortably  warm,  much  of  the 
time  hot  enough  to  blister,  on  a  bare  board  without  a 
mattress  or  the  least  thing  to  soften  the  hard  plank. 
This  must  continue  night  and  day,  at  the  same  time 
wearing  nothing  but  a  thin  cotton  cloth  around  her 
hips  to  shield  her  from  the  fire,  and  she  is  forced  to 
keep  turning  constantly  as  the  heat  becomes  too  much 
for  her  to  bear,  in  a  climate  where  a  fire  is  anything  but 
pleasant  to  a  person  in  good  health,  let  alone  an 
enfeebled  woman,  and  this  too  in  a  small  room  without 
any  chimney  to  carry  off  the  smoke  of  the  burning 
wood,  so  that  the  eyes  of  the  patient  are  almost  blinded 
as  well  as  her  body  half  baked.  This  is  called  "  lying 
by  the  fire."  The  fire-place  is  a  box  about  four  feet 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  307 

long  by  three  wide,  from  eight  to  ten  inches  deep, 
filled  with  clay,  on  the  top  of  which  the  wood  is  piled 
and  kept  burning  for  the  time  required.  The  bench  on 
which  the  woman  lies  is  of  the  same  height  and  is 
brought  into  immediate  contact  with  it.  No  one 
knows  the  origin  of  this  most  pernicious  custom,  cruel 
in  the  extreme,  but  it  is  practiced  by  a  number  of  the 
East  Indian  nations.  Every  effort  has  been  made  by 
the  foreign  physicians  to  abolish  this  practice,  but  so 
far  without  any  signal  success.  In  a  few  instances  the 
wives  of  His  Majesty  and  of  some  of  the  princes  have 
dispensed  with  this  barbarous  custom,  but  the  old  mid- 
wives  continue  to  have  their  way  and  the  poor  mothers 
are  still  systematically  roasted. 

The  Siamese  are  rapidly  advancing  in  their  knowl- 
edge of  anatomy.  A  few  years  since  they  absolutely 
knew  little  concerning  the  human  frame ;  they  had  a 
vague  knowledge  of  a  few  of  the  bones  and  tendons, 
but  knew  nothing  in  regard  to  the  nerves,  having  no 
word  to  designate  them.  Concerning  the  arterial  cir- 
culation they  had  the  most  novel  ideas,  imagining 
the  pulse  to  be  a  conductor  of  wind.  Ask  a  native 
when  feeling  his  pulse  what  causes  it  to  beat.  As  in 
other  cases,  he  will  reply  "  pen  lorn,"  it  is  wind.  They 
formerly  imagined  that  the  chest  and  abdomen  were 
one,  which  they  termed  bowels ;  that  the  passages  to 
the  lungs  and  stomach  were  one  and  that  the  heart 
could  be  reached  through  the  esophagus.  A  foreign 
doctor  had  been  called  in  to  treat  one  of  the  princes 
who  was  suffering  with  palpitation  of  the  heart.  Ten 
royal  physicians  were  in  attendance,  who  had  been 
physicing  him  on  the  supposition  that  there  was  a  direct 
passage  from  the  mouth  to  the  heart,  hence  they 


308  THE    PEAKL    OF   ASIA. 

had  been  administering  cathartics  for  the  purpose  of 
expelling  the  wind  that  was  supposed  to  be  pent  up  in 
his  heart  causing  the  trouble.  It  was  a  new  idea  to 
them  that  there  was  no  road  to  the  heart  except  by 
way  of  the  circulation  of  the  blood  or  by  the  system- 
atic influence  of  the  nervous  system.  They  regarded 
the  liver  as  having  so  slight  a  fastening  as  to  be  liable 
to  get  out  of  its  place,  sinking  down  among  the  intes- 
tines and  producing  grave  complaints  by  its  erratic 
wanderings.  Even  up  to  the  present  time  the  stu- 
dents and  native  doctors  at  Wang  Lang  hospital  could 
hardly  be  made  to  understand  that  there  were  kid- 
neys in  the  human  body,  nor  realize  of  what  use  they 
could  be  in  the  system.  They  know  but  little  concern- 
ing surgery,  they  but  seldom  use  a  lancet,  and  treat 
cancers  and  tumors  with  a  poultice  made  up  of  many 
ingredients,  more  injurious  than  beneficial.  It  was  a 
long  time  before  the  natives  would  submit  to  a  surgi- 
cal operation ;  now  that  they  have  realized  the  bene- 
ficial effects  of  "Western  skill,  they  are  not  slow  in 
catching  on  to  a  good  thing,  our  surgeons  and  doctors 
are  in  demand,  sometimes  having  to  go  hundreds  of 
miles  in  the  interior  to  amputate  or  set  a  limb.  Thus 
it  does  not  take  long  to  break  down  the  barrier  of 
prejudice  with  them  when  they  are  to  be  benefited. 
It  is  well  that  the  Siamese  are  inveterate  bathers, 
otherwise  the  way  that  they  live  in  filthy  huts 
disease  would  run  riot  among  them,  the  walls  and 
floors  of  their  rooms  being  stained  with  betel  saliva 
and  other  filth.  !N"o  wonder  that  cholera  has  here  its 
abiding  place  the  year  round,  its  natural  home,  as  it 
has  come  there  to  stay.  Vaccination  is  very  popular 
with  the  people,  having  been  introduced  into  the  king- 


THE    PEARL   OF    ASIA.  309 

dom  by  an  American  missionary  in  1840,  and  now  the 
King  has  instructed  the  native  doctors  to  vaccinate  the 
people  at  his  expense. 

One  of  the  worst  diseases  in  Siam  and  the  Asiatic 
coast  is  leprosy.  Hundreds  of  these  miserable  diseased 
wretches  can  be  seen  begging  by  the  wayside  for  alms 
in  all  stages  of  the  dread  disease.  Some  with  fingers 
and  toes  gone,  others  with  noses  and  lips  off,  their 
blackened  gums  protruding  in  the  most  hideous  man- 
ner, while  many  are  a  mass  of  hideous  ulcers,  barely 
able  to  crawl  into  the  shade  of  a  tree  and  point  to  the 
cocoanut  shell  that  holds  the  few  coppers  tossed  to 
them  by  the  charitable.  The  native  doctors  never 
undertake  to  do  anything  for  a  leper ;  they  say  it  is 
useless,  and  so  far  science  has  been  unable  to  cure  or 
alleviate  the  ravages  of  this  worst  of  all  human  ills. 
It  is  impossible  to  tell  the  number  of  the  lepers  in 
Bangkok,  but  I  have  seen  at  least  one  hundred  at  "Wat 
Kok  soliciting  alms,  and  to  the  credit  of  the  Siamese 
they  contribute  liberally  to  these  unfortunates  whom 
they  think  the  spirits  have  persecuted  for  some  mis- 
demeanor committed  in  another  period  of  their  exist- 
ence. While  it  is  asserted  that  the  disease  is  not  con- 
tagious, it  would  be  well  if  these  unfortunates  were 
housed  and  cared  for,  as  their  appearance  is  horribly 
repulsive.  It  is  generally  supposed  that  there  is  a 
large  number  in  the  city  that  no  one  sees  but  their 
relatives,  those  at  the  wats  being  paupers  whose  only 
chance  for  subsistence  is  what  is  given  to  them.  Out- 
side of  the  lepers  there  are  but  few  beggars  in  Siam, 
only  those  who  are  deformed,  crippled  or  otherwise 
objects  of  charity,  and  they  are  generally  found 
around  the  temples. 


XXXI. 

SIAMESE  PLOUGHS,    OX-YOKES  AND 
HARROWS. 

A  native  plough  is  not  worthy  of  the  name.  They  are 
of  two  kinds,  one  designed  to  be  drawn  by  a  single 
buffalo,  and  the  other  by  a  yoke  of  oxen.  The  difference 
between  them  is  mainly  in  the  length  of  the  beam. 
The  plough  for  a  single  buffalo  has  a  beam  only  about 
four  feet  long;  but  the  beam  for  a  yoke  of  oxen  is  from 
10  to  12  feet  in  length,  proceeding  forward  from  the 
handle  with  an  upward  curve,  then  downward,  and 
then  again  upward  to  a  slender  and  graceful  point 
which  is  seen  above  the  heads  of  the  oxen,  and  18  or 
20  inches  ahead  of  them.  This  long  beam  saves  the 
necessity  of  having  any  rope  or  chain  to  draw  the 
plough.  The  yoke  is  attached  to  it  by  means  of  a  rope 
passing  through  an  auger  hole  in  it  and  around  wooden 
pins  in  the  plough  beam  some  three  feet  from  its  anterior 
end.  The  end  where  it  curves  above  the  heads  of  the 
oxen  serves  an  important  purpose  aside  from  mere 
fancy.  Cords  passing  from  the  nostrils  of  each  ox  is 
made  fast  to  it,  with  sufficient  tightness  to  keep  the 
heads  of  the  cattle  quite  elevated,  making  them,  it  is 
said,  much  more  manageable  than  without  such  an 
expedient.  But  for  it,  they  could  not  be  kept  in 
the  track  marked  out  for  them,  as  they  lose  all 
recollection  of  duty  in  their  hunting  for  something  to 
eat  as  they  plod  along.  Such  appears  not  to  be  the 
weakness  of  the  buffalo,  and  consequently  needing  no 

310 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  311 

such  martingales  to  keep  his  head  up,  he  is  hitched  to 
a  plough  with  a  short  beam  and  draws  it  by  means  of 
rope  traces  passing  from  a  rude  whippletree  to  a  wooden 
yoke  fixed  on  his  neck  by  a  rope  in  place  of  our  ox 
bow.  The  yoke  is  in  the  form  of  a  crescent  with  its 
extremities  curving  a  little  outward  forming  a  small 
knob.  To  these  knobs  the  traces  are  tied.  You  will 
see  the  buffalo  going  along  with  great  apparent 
carelessness,  always  holding  his  head  near  the  ground, 
snapping  up  here  and  there  a  mouthful  of  grass,  and 
yet  never  losing  the  furrow  by  which  he  is  to  walk. 
The  only  trouble  seems  to  be  that  he  will  halt  a  little 
to  get  what  he  wishes  to  eat.  He,  as  well  as  the  oxen, 
is  guided  by  reins  fastened  to  his  nostrils. 

A  yoke  designed  for  a  pair  of  oxen  is  often  a  simple 
straight  and  rounded  stick  2£  inches  in  diameter  and  3-J 
feet  long.  Some  of  them  are  more  tasty  by  having  a 
slight  bend  downward  in  their  middle  with  a  little 
enlargement  there  for  an  auger  hole  for  the  rope  of  the 
plough  or  the  tongue  of  a  cart  to  be  attached,  a  slight 
curve  upward  and  then  downward  for  the  necks  of  the 
oxen,  ending  in  a  little  curve  upward.  The  neck  of 
each  ox  is  confined  to  its  place  by  means  of  two 
straight  wooden  pins  three-quarters  of  an  inch  in 
diameter  and  a  foot  long,  passing  through  the  yoke  in 
the  place  of  a  bow,  being  less  open  at  the  top  than  at 
the  bottom ;  and  then  small  cords,  passing  under  the 
neck  tied  to  the  upper  ends  of  the  pins,  complete  all 
the  purposes  of  an  ox-bow. 

The  two  kinds  of  ploughs  are  about  equally  strong, 
but  neither  of  them  strong  enough  to  stand  a  hard  pull 
from  a  yoke  of  ordinary  western  oxen.  The  one  for  a 
buffalo  would  not  usually  weigh  more  than  30  Ibs.  Its 


312  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

runner  and  mould  board  is  a  natural  crotch  being  one 
and  the  same  stick,  the  shorter  branch  of  the  crotch 
serving  for  the  mould  board,  and  the  longer  branch  for 
the  runner.  The  latter  is  about  two  feet  long  by  10 
inches  round.  It  comes  to  a  small  point  at  its  nose 
fitted  for  the  socket  of  the  ploughshare.  The  latter, 
but  a  little  larger  than  a  large  human  hand,  is  made  of 
cast-iron  the  shape  of  half  of  a  large  ovate  leaf  cut 
square  off  in  the  middle.  Its  upper  plane  is  flat, 
inclining  a  very  little  to  the  right  hand  when  in  its 
place.  It  bulges  out  on  the  under  side  to  form  a 
flattened  socket  to  receive  the  nose  of  the  runner.  It 
is  never  fastened  in  its  place  excepting  by  a  close  fit, 
their  owners  wishing  to  have  them  so  that  they  may 
be  knocked  off  at  night  and  carried  home  to  secure 
them  from  thieves. 

The  mould  board,  if  such  it  can  be  called,  is  only  of 
the  same  width  of  the  runner,  but  made  thinner, 
curving  backward  and  upward  about  12  inches.  It  has 
a  slight  inclination  to  the  right  hand  to  favor  the 
turning  of  the  clods  to  that  side  rather  than  the  other. 
Being  a  natural  branch  of  the  runner  it  needs  nothing 
to  strengthen  it.  The  hinder  end  of  the  beam  curves 
down  and  is  framed  into  the  back  end  of  the  runner. 
The  handle  of  the  plough  (for  there  are  never  two)  is  a 
natural  crook  forming  a  large  segment  of  a  circle  four 
feet  long,  passes  through  the  beam  just  behind  the 
mould  board,  and  is  framed  in  the  runner  near  the 
acute  angle  made  by  the  two. 

Now  such  is  all  there  is  of  a  Siamese  plough,  the 
wood  part  costing  only  75  cents,  and  the  iron  16  cents. 
It  cuts  a  furrow  2  inches  deep  and  from  5  to  6  inches 
wide.  We  should  judge  that  only  about  half  of  the 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  313 

clods  it  breaks  up  are  turned  over  by  it.  It  does  its 
work  very  imperfectly  at  the  best. 

The  natives  plough  in  the  same  way  as  we  do  in 
America,  going  round  and  round  a  part  of  the  lot  or 
the  whole,  if  it  be  but  small,  until  it  is  all  cut  up.  The 
teams  always  have  rope  reins  fastened  to  their  nostrils, 
and  these  the  ploughmen  take  in  their  left  hand  while 
they  hold  the  plough  with  the  other. 

The  harrow  is  simply  a  large  wooden  rake,  consisting 
of  a  rounded  stick  of  tough  wood  3  inches  in  diameter, 
having  10  or  12  teeth.  It  has  a  hoop  shape  handle  for 
the  convenience  of  lifting  it  up  to  shake  off  grass  and 
stubble  that  get  entangled  in  its  teeth,  and  for  bearing 
down  to  give  it  more  execution  when  needed.  Its 
tongue  is  made  of  two  small  bamboos  and  extends  far 
enough  ahead  to  admit  of  tying  to  it  the  cords  from 
the  nostrils  of  the  oxen  and  forcing  them  to  hold  up 
their  heads.  The  pitch-fork  used  in  handling  rice  and 
grass  has  but  one  prong,  yet  they  get  along  rapidly 
with  it.  American  hatchets,  hoes  and  axes  are  com- 
ing into  use  and  find  ready  sale  in  the  bazars. 


XXXII. 

BRIEF  SYNOPSIS  OF  SIAMESE  HISTORY.— A 
TRANSLATION. 

The  history  commences  with  a  Laos  king  who 
reigned  in  Chieng-rai,  at  that  time  the  capital  of  the 
kingdom.  The  neighboring  king  of  Sa-tawng  invaded 
his  country  and  took  the  capital  and  carried  away 
many  captives.  On  the  capture  of  Chieng-rai  the 
king  with  many  of  its  inhabitants  fled  and  took  refuge 
within  the  boundaries  of  Siam.  Crossing  the  river  Po, 
they  came  to  the  ancient  city  of  Paap  then  in  ruins. 
This  city  and  Kam-p'aang-p'et  were  situated  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  river.  The  king  being  endowed  with 
extraordinary  merit,  P'ra-In,  assumed  the  form 
of  an  ascetic  and  presented  himself  before  him  as  he 
was  riding  on  his  elephant.  He  counseled  him  to 
found  his  capital  there,  being  an  auspicious  place, 
where  he  would  be  safe  from  all  enemies.  He  then 
vanished.  The  king,  being  delighted  with  this  appari- 
tion, said,  this  ascetic  is  assuredly  P'ra-In,  who  has 
assumed  this  form  in  order  to  give  me  this  advice. 
He  therefore  encamped  and  there  lie  built  his  capital 
with  walls,  forts,  gates,  towers  and  trenches  all  com- 
plete. When  his  royal  palace  and  dwellings  for  the 
nobles  and  people  were  completed,  he  called  it  Trei- 
trung,  because  its  sight  had  been  designated  by  P'ra-In. 
In  this  city  he  and  his  descendants  reigned  for  four 
generations. 

At  that  time  there  was  a  very  poor  man,  whose 

314 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  315 

whoie  body  was  covered  with  tumors,  on  which  account 
he  was  called  Nai  Saan  Pom,  or  the  man  of  a  hundred 
thousand  tumors.  This  man  had  a  small  garden  on  the 
river's  bank  a  day's  journey  south  of  the  city  in  which 
he  cultivated  egg-plant,  pepper  and  other  vegetables  as  a 
means  of  subsistence.  One  of  these  egg-plants,  standing 
near  his  house,  was  watered  daily  from  his  own  person, 
it  therefore  bore  frirf  ~^vtraordinary  size  and  beauty. 
The  king's  daughter,  at  that  time  desiring  some  egg- 
plant, sent  her  maids  to  buy  some.  Attracted  by  the 
beauty  of  these  large  ones  offered  for  sale  by  Nai  Saan 
Pom,  she  purchased  them.  She  carried  them  to  her 
mistress,  who  partook  of  them,  and  was  consequently 
found  to  be  pregnant.  When  her  father  became  aware 
of  it,  he  made  inquiry,  but  could  not  learn  that  she 
had  in  anyway  violated  her  chastity.  At  the  end  of  ten 
months  she  brought  forth  a  son  perfect  in  all  his  parts 
and  distinguished  for  his  great  beauty.  All  the  royal 
family  aided  in  nourishing  the  child  till  it  was  three 
years  old.  Its  royal  grandfather  then  thought  that  he 
would  then  endeavor  to  discover  by  divination  its 
father.  He  made  a  proclamation  commanding  all  the 
males  of  the  city  to  assemble  in  the  grounds  of  the 
royal  palace,  each  person  being  required  to  bring  with 
him  some  article  of  food.  He  then  commanded  the 
nurse  to  bring  the  child  forth,  with  a  prayer  that  if  his 
father  were  present  the  child  might  be  guided  to  him 
and  eat  whatever  he  had  in  his  hand.  Passing  by 
the  inviting  portion  in  the  hands  of  the  rich  and  the 
great,  he  made  his  way  straight  to  Nai  Saan  Pom  who 
had  only  a  lump  of  cold  rice.  Embracing  him  round  his 
neck,  he  took  this  and  ate  it,  to  the  great  astonishment 
and  indignation  of  all  present.  A  feeling  of  shame 


316  THE   PEABL   OF   ASIA. 

predominated  in  the  breast  of  the  king ;  he,  therefore, 
gave  both  his  daughter  and  her  child  to  Nai  Saan  Pom, 
and  had  her  put  on  a  raft  to  be  floated  out  of  the  city. 
When  they  arrived  at  the  garden  of  Nai  Saan  Pom,  he 
led  them  up  into  his  hut.  In  consequence  of  the  great 
merit  of  these  three  persons,  P'ra-In  assumed  the  form 
of  a  monkey,  and  presented  to  Nai  Saan  Pom  a  celestial 
drum.  At  the  same  time  he  told  him  that  he  had  only 
to  strike  that  drum  and  whatever  he  desired  should  be  im- 
mediately granted.  The  monkey  then  vanished  from  his 
sight.  Knowing  that  it  was  the  gift  of  a  celestial  being, 
he  was  greatly  delighted,  and  instantly  struck  it  with 
the  desire  that  he  might  become  beautiful  in  form  and 
handsome  in  appearance.  His  tumors  all  immediately 
vanished  and  he  became  distinguished  for  his  extraordi- 
nary beauty.  He  brought  the  drum  to  his  house,  and 
told  his  wife  all  that  had  happened.  She  was  much 
rejoiced  and  struck  it  again,  desiring  that  they  might 
receive  gold  of  the  first  quality  sufficient  to  make  a 
cradle  for  their  boy  No^  sooner  done,  than  the  gold 
was  theirs  and  from  that  circumstance  the  boy  received 
the  name  of  P'ra-Chow-oo-t'awng 

In  the  year  681  Siamese  era,  or  about  A.  D.  1320,  the 
father  of  Chow-oo-t'awng  again  struck  the  drum  and 
a  large  splendid  capital  sprung  in  to  existence  with  walls 
forts,  towers,  gates  and  trenches  all  complete,  together 
with  a  royal  palace.  He  called  the  city  T'ep-na-k'awn 
because  it  was  accomplished  by  the  power  of  the  t'ewa- 
da.  The  people  then  encouraged  each  other  to  take  up 
their  abode  there,  so  that  it  was  soon  filled  with  a  large 
population  and  the  father  of  Chow-oo-t'awng,  whose 
fame  reached  to  Siam,  reigned  there  under  the  title  of 
Somdet  P'ra-Chow-see-ch'ei  Ch'ieng  Saan.  He  was 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  317 

a  prince  of  distinguished  merit  and  great  power.  He 
reigned  twenty-five  years,  and  died  in  the  year  706= 
A,  D.  1346.  At  his  death  the  celestial  drum  also 
disappeared.  He  was  succeeded  the  same  year  by  his 
son — 

P'ra  Chow  Oo-T'awng.  He  made  a  great  burning  for 
his  father's  remains,  and  reigned  in  T'ep-na-k'awn, 
his  father's  capital,  six  years.  Desiring  to  found  a  new 
one,  he  sent  his  officers  to  search  for  a  place  where  fish 
of  every  kind  was  abundant.  Coming  south  they  found 
such  a  place  and  reported  it  to  the  king.  He  came 
down  to  it  with  all  his  people.  They  pitched  their 
tents  in  a  place  called  Weeang-lek,  and  immediately 
commenced  leveling  the  ground,  and  preparing  materi- 
als for  building  a  new  walled  capital,  which  he  called 
Kroong  t'ep'a-maha-nak'awn  bawawn  t'a-wa-ra  wadee 
see-a-yoot'aya  ma-ha-dilok-p'op  nop'a-archa'a-t'anee 
booree-rom  oodom  rach'a-ni-wet  maha  sat'an — alias 
Ayuthia. 

While  building  the  city  in  the  year  712  on  Friday  the 
6th  day  of  the  fifth  waxing  moon,  at  nine  minutes  past 
nine  in  the  morning,  they  found  under  a  mulberry  tree 
a  shell  whose  spiral  whorl  is  sinistral  or  from  right  to 
left.  Regarding  that  as  an  auspicious  omen,  he  caused 
three  royal  audience  chambers  to  be  erected  on  that 
spot.  P'ra-Chow  oo-T'awng  began  to  reign  at  the  age 
of  thirty -seven  under  the  title — 

I.  Somclet  P'ra  Rama  T'ibawdee  the  1st.  He 
appointed  his  queen's  elder  brother  governor  of  Soop'- 
an-booree,  under  the  title  of  Somdet  P'ra  Bawroma- 
Rach'a-T'irat,  and  made  his  own  son  P'ra  Rame-sooan 
governor  of  Lop  booree.  There  were  at  that  time  six- 
teen provincial  cities  tributary  to  Siam,  viz.:  Malaka, 


318  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA. 

Ch'awa,  Tanow-see,  Tawai,  Maw:-tama;  Maw:-lam 
lo'ng,  Nak'awn-see-t'ama-rat,  Songk'la,  Chant'a-booree 
P'ra-p'itsa-noolok,  Sook'ot'ei,  P'ich'ei,  Sawank'alok, 
Kamp'aang-p'et-P'ichit,  Nak'awn-sawan. 

The  king  built  two  temples  during  his  reign.  He 
also  sent  his  son  on.  an  expedition  against  Cambodia, 
Somdet  P'ra  Bawroma-Kach'a-T'irat  leading  the  reserve 
force.  They  conquered  the  capital  of  Cambodia 
and  brought  back  a  great  many  captives  to  Ayuthia. 
This  Somdet  P'ra  Rama-T'ibawc  3e,  the  first  king  who 
reigned  in  Ayuthia,  died  in  the  year  731  or  A.  D. 
1370  in  the  56th  year  of  his  age  and  the  20th  of  his 
reign,  the  projenitor  of  the  Siamese  monarchs,  and  was 
succeeded  by  four  dynasties,  embracing  thirty-nine 
kings,  the  present  dynasty  representing  five  kings. 
The  three  first  dynasties  reigned  in  Ayuthia,  which 
was  captured  and  destroyed  in  the  year  of  1767,  after 
a  three-year  siege,  they  having  been  the  monarchs  of 
Siam  for  a  period  of  four  hundred  and  seventeen  years. 
After  the  Burmese  had  sacked  the  capital  and  taken 
off  thousands  of  the  people  prisoners  a  Siamese  Gen- 
eral, P'ra  yah  Lohk-Sin,  of  great  celebrity,  rallied  the 
Siamese  under  him  at  T'onaburee  and  after  a  number  of 
hard-fought  battles,  drove  the  invaders  back  and  laid 
the  foundation  of  Bangkok,  since  then  the  capital. 
He  founded  the  present  fourth  dynasty,  and  after  a 
reign  of  twenty-seven  years  was  succeeded  by  his  son 
P'ra  P'utt'a  Lo't-lah,  who  reigned  fifteen  years,  and 
was  succeeded  by  hissonP'rabaht  Somdetch  P'raNang 
Klow,  who  reigned  twenty-seven  years,  then  his  son 
P'ra  baht  Somdetch  P'ra  Paramendr  Maha-mongkut, 
who  reigned  seventeen  years  and  was  succeeded  by  His 
Majesty  King  Chulalongkorn. 


FAC   SIMILE  OF  COPY  OF  HIS  MAJESTY'S  SPEECH. 


win 


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319 


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I 


XXXIII. 


Translation  of  His  Majesty's  speech  in  reply  to  Col. 
J.  T.  Child,  Minister  Resident. 

AUDIENCE  OP  JANUARY  17,  1891. 

We  regret  that  you  should  be  compelled  to  leave  our 
capital  so  quickly.  We  have  while  you  fulfilled  the 
office  of  Minister  Resident  to  our  court  received  vari- 
ous proofs  of  your  endeavor  to  maintain  our  friendly 
relations,  and  thus  we  are  bound  to  you  by  love  and 
must  praise  you  for  the  spirit  in  which  you  approached 
all  questions  with  our  Minister  in  order  to  make  our 
friendly  relations  still  more  close. 

You  have  been  long  enough  in  Siam  tcTbear  witness 
of  our  solicitude  to  maintain  in  every  instance  the  friend- 
ship between  Siam  and  the  United  States  and  to 
increase  the  welfare  of  our  country  by  closer  relations 
with  other  powers  to  which  you  have  just  alluded. 

On  the  point  of  leaving  our  capital  we  request  you 
to  assure  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  our  anx- 
iety to  increase  our  friendly  relations  with  the  United 
States  of  America,  which  are  of  the  highest  moment 
to  us,  and  we  beg  likewise  that  you  will  assure  him  of 
our  personal  esteem  and  friendship. 

And  now  we  wish  you  in  every  way  a  prosperous  voy- 
age to  your  home  and  country. 


XXXIV. 

HIS  MAJESTY'S  BIETHDAY  FESTIVITIES. 

The  festivities  celebrating  His  Majesty's  birthday 
lasts  for  three  days,  when  the  city  of  Bangkok  is  a  scene 
of  unrivaled  mirth  and  jollification.  This  event  occurs 
on  the  26th  of  September,  during  which  time  business 
is  virtually  suspended  and  at  night  the  city  is  illuminated 
in  the  most  gorgeous  manner,  each  one  trying  to  outdo 
his  neighbor  in  the  display  of  lights.  At  noon  on  the 
third  day  the  diplomatic  body,  the  princes  and  ndbles 
repair  to  the  supreme  palace  to  tender  congratulations 
to  His  Majesty  on  the  anniversary  of  his  birth.  The 
American  Minister,  being  the  dean  of  the  diplomatic 
body,  was  required  to  deliver  the  congratulatory 
address  to  the  King,  which  was  listened  to  attentively 
by  the  large  number  of  princes  and  nobles  that  were  in 
attendance,  the  throne  room  being  filled  with  courtiers, 
the  King  being  attended  by  the  Chow  Fa,  Crown  Prince. 
His  Majesty  replied  at  some  length,  assuring  his  hear- 
ers that  he  would  do  everything  that  lay  in  his  power 
to  advance  the  interest  of  his  people,  that  concessions 
for  railways  and  tramways,  as  well  as  for  the  workings 
of  mines,  had  been  granted  ;  that  the  same  spirit  that 
had  prevailed  in  the  past  would  be  carried  out  in  the 
future,  that  outlawry  should  be  put  down,  etc.  Con- 
gratulatory addresses  were  also  made  by  the  princes  and 
nobles.  The  reception  was  a  very  pleasant  one;  the 
King  and  his  nobles  dressed  in  full  uniform,  flashing  with 
jewels,  together  with  the  diplomats,  most  of  whom  wore 

321 


322  THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA. 

showy  uniforms,  standing  in  the  large  audience  cham- 
ber, made  a  picture  of  oriental  magnificence,  once 
seen  it  became  indelibly  photographed  on  the  memory, 
but  the  grandest  sight  was  the  illuminations.  The 
pearly  skies  had  scarcely  faded  into  ebon  hues  ere  the 
whole  place  seemed  to  have  been  touched  by  the  wand 
of  an  enchanter ;  miles  upon  miles  of  glittering  lights 
gleamed  everywhere,  and  tower  and  spire  and  dome 
were  sharply  outlined  against  the  dusky  canopy  that 
night  had  thrown  over  the  city,  marvellous  to  behold 
to  one  unaccustomed  to  such  scenic  displays. 

It  had  been  my  belief  that  the  display  in  St.  Louis 
during  fair  week  was  unrivalled,  but  it  was  nothing  in 
comparison  to  that  in  Bangkok  on  this  occasion.  The 
majestic  Menam  was  a  blaze  of  light,  all  of  the  lega- 
tions, large  mercantile  houses,  club  houses,  noblemen's 
palaces  and  residences,  boats  and  shipping  were  liter- 
ally covered  with  lamps  filled  with  cocoanut  oil,  the 
design  of  many  being  very  elaborate,  mottoes,  coats 
of  arms,  etc.,  but  the  handsomest  display  was  the  royal 
palace  and  walls  surrounding  it,  over  two  miles  in 
extent,  which  was  literally  ablaze  with  parti-colored 
lights,  the  outlines  of  the  buildings  being  sharply 
defined  by  rows  of  lamps  that  stretched  from  turret 
to  foundation,  lighting  up  the  embrazures  and  towers 
along  the  battlements,  while  the  large  arsenal,  palace 
of  justice  and  government  buildings  along  the  esplan- 
ade, opposite  the  palace,  about  a  mile  in  extent,  were 
similarly  illuminated,  flashing  as  if  studded  with 
brilliants,  the  effect  being  marvellous.  Immediately  in 
front  of  the  main  palace  gate  a  fountain  throws  its 
waters  high  in  air  and  »the  liquid  drops,  catching  the 
gleam  of  the  electric  lights  that  streamed  through  globes 


THE   PEAKL   OF   ASIA.  323 

of  colored  glass,  seemed  like  a  shower  of  rubies, 
diamonds  and  emeralds;  above  it  glowed  a  flaming 
scroll  on  which  was  emblazoned  in  large  letters  "  Long 
Live  The  King."  Inside  the  palace  ground  the  illumin- 
ation was  still  more  elaborate.  To  add  to  the  interest 
of  the  occasion  several  bands  of  music  discoursed 
national  airs.  In  the  distance,  springing  out  of  groves 
of  palm  and  banyan  trees  could  be  seen  a  number  of 
palaces  distinctly  outlined,  seemingly  giant  planets  amid 
a  world  of  lesser  stars,  which  added  no  little  to  the 
beauty  of  the  scene. 

During  the  evening  the  King,  accompanied  by  his 
nobles,  steamed  slowly  down  the  river  in  his  yacht 
to  witness  the  illumination,  and  his  passing  was  the 
signal  for  a  display  of  rockets,  bombs,  etc.,  the  upper 
deep  soon  becoming  ruddy  with  the  glare  of  the  grand 
pyrotechnics,  it  being  a  triumphal  trip  and  one  that 
proved  that  His  Majesty  was  very  popular  with  all 
classes  of  people,  foreign  as  well  as  native.  In  various 
parts  of  the  city,  Chinese  theaters  and  Siamese  lacons 
gave  free  performances,  thousands  atttending  highly 
delighted,  and  on  every  side  bazars  and  stands  for  the 
sale  of  fruits,  sweets,  food,  tea,  soda  water  and  other 
refreshments,  including  liquors  of  all  kind.  On  the 
evening  of  the  third  day  a  grand  ball  was  given  bv 
the  Foreign  Minister,  the  Kromata,  H.  E.  H.  Prince 
Devawongse,  at  his  magnificent  palace,  which  was 
generally  attended  by  the  foreign  residents  of  the  city; 
but  a  feeling  of  regret  prevailed  when  it  was  announced 
that,  owing  to  the  death  of  the  uncle  of  the  King,  he 
would  not  be  present,  and  thus  the  assemblage  was 
debarred  from  a  sight  of  royalty,  but  it  did  not  detract 
from  the  enjoyment  of  the  occasion;  dancing  was  kept 


324  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

up  till  4  o'clock  and  the  heavens  aglow  with  the  corus- 
cations of  morn  ;  the  banquet  was  superb  and  cham- 
pagne and  other  liquids  flowed  more  freely  than  water. 
At  the  banquet  it  fell  to  the  American  Minister  to 
offer  the  toast  of  the  evening,  "  The  health  of  His 
Majesty,  King  Chulalongkorn,"  which  he  did  in  a 
few  remarks  congratulatory,  saying  en  passant,  "  In 
the  future  may  nothing  heaver  fall  on  his  brow  than 
the  lilies  of  time."  To  this  the  Kromata  responded 
most  happily,  then  the  band  played  and  dancing 
recommenced.  To  an  American  it  was  a  novel  affair 
and  the  magnificent  room,  lit  with  electric  lights  and 
filled  with  elaborately  costumed,  handsome  women  and 
gallant  gentlemen  keeping  time  to  one  of  Strauss' 
popular  waltzes,  made  a  pleasing  picture.  One  could 
hardly  realize  that  he  was  at  the  antipodes,  in  a  city 
almost  unknown  to  most  people,  a  terra  incognita,  but 
so  it  was.  This  annual  ball  is  looked  forward  to  with 
great  interest  by  the  foreign  population  of  Siam's 
capital  as  the  one  event  of  the  year,  and  they  make 
the  most  of  it.  Upon  this  occasion  diplomats,  princes, 
merchants,  skippers,  engineers,  in  fact  all  classes  who 
have  received  invitations  to  attend,  put  in  an  appear- 
ance and  mingle  on  terms  of  social  equality;  at  other 
times  the  etiquette  of  position  is  rigidly  observed- 
During  the  evening  wine,  ices  and  other  refreshments 
were  passed  around  by  well-trained  waiters,  and  each 
one  handed  a  fan  as  a  souvenir ;  the  ladies  were  also 
presented  with  a  bouquet  and  a  scarf  of  mogries  to  wear 
over  the  shoulder.  In  the  sitting-rooms  some  of  the 
gentlemen  retired  to  smoke,  play  whist  or  billiards, 
and  thus  while  away  the  hours,  while  others  devoted 
the  time  to  terpsichorean  revels  with  the  fair  divinities 


THE   PEARL   OF  ASIA.  325 

who  were  there  for  enjoyment.  Nothing  was  left 
undone  to  make  it  an  enjoyable  affair ;  all  present 
pronounced  it  a  grand  success,  and  thus  ended  the 
festivities  in  honor  of  the  reigning  monarch.  The 
politeness  and  attention  of  the  Siamese  towards  their 
guests  is  proverbial,  and  upon  this  occasion  it  was 
evinced  to  the  fullest  extent. 


XXXV. 

THE  MONEY  STANDAKD    OF  SIAM. 

Silver  is  the  standard  of  values  in  Siam,  no  gold  being 
coined  except  a  few  pieces  that  the  King  distributes 
on  coronation  or  cremation  ceremonies.  The  gold 
pieces  are  similar  in  design  to  those  of  the  silver  coin- 
age and  possess  twenty  times  their  value.  Their  table 
of  money  and  weights  is  as  follows  : 

Fifty  Biah  make  one  Solot,  two  Solots  one  At,  two 
Ats  one  See-o  or  Pai,  two  See-o  one  Seek,  two  Seeks 
one  Fuang,  two  Fuangs  one  Salung,  four  Salungs  one 
Baht  or  Tical,  four  Bahts  one  Tamlu'ng,  twenty  Tam- 
lu'ng one  Chang,  fifty  Changs  one  Hahp,  one  hundred 
Hahps  one  Pahrah.  The  biah  or  cowdery  shell  has 
been  abolished.  The  Solot,  At,  See-o  and  Seek  are 
copper  pieces;  the  Fuang,  Salung  and  the  Baht  or 
Tical  are  silver  pieces.  The  denominations  after  Baht 
represent  weight,  the  Siamese  chang  is  equiva- 
lent to  two  Chinese  catties  and  is  the  equal  of  two  and 
two-thirds  English  pounds.  No  law  of  Siam  affects  the 
Chinese  standard  of  weight.  The  catty  can  be  no  more 
nor  less  than  what  the  law  of  China  ordains.  As  the 
export  trade  is  greatly  in  excess  of  the  imports,  large 
quantities  of  Mexican  dollars  are  brought  into  the 
country  and  recoined  into  ticals  and  smaller  currency 
The  late  King  Somdetch  P'ra  Chaum  Klow  established 
the  present  law,  making  five  ticals  the  equivalent  of 
three  Mexican  dollars,  Mexican  silver  being  the  stan- 
dard of  the  Asiatic  coast.  The  importer  takes  his  dol- 

326 


THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA.  327 

lars  to  the  mint  and  the  officers  there  heat  them  red-hot 
to  detect  counterfeits,  and  if  genuine,  ticals  are  given 
in  exchange.  This  law  makes  the  par  value  of  the  tical 
sixty  cents  of  a  dollar,  the  salung  fifteen  and  the  f  uang 
eight  and  a  half  cents,  the  tamlu'ng  $2.40,  the  chang 
$48.00,  the  hahp  $2,400  and  the  p'arah  $240,000. 

Previous  to  and  during  a  portion  of  the  reign  of  the 
late  king  the  small  change  of  the  country  consisted  of 
sea-shells,  known  as  the  cowrie,  and  designated  by  the 
nati  ves  as  the  bi'ah;  the  purchasing  power  of  the  bi'ah  was 
about  fifteen  hundred  to  the  fuang  or  eight  cents,  not- 
withstanding the  government  attempted  to  fix  their 
value  at  800  for  a  fuang.  At  that  time  the  coins  were  all 
round,  almost  bullet-shaped,  millions  of  which  are  still 
in  circulation,  but  the  King  improved  the  appearance  of 
the  coin  by  having  it  struck  similar  to  that  of  other 
nations,  instead  of  the  round  bullets,  with  two  small 
stamps  on  them.  The  coins  now  issued  have  the  profile 
of  the  King  on  them  and  are  really  pretty,  showing 
that  the  Siamese  are  abandoning  some  of  their  old 
prejudices,  one  of  which  was  that  no  one  should  make 
the  profile  of  His  Majesty  for  general  circulation,  as  it 
was  considered  a  gross  violation  of  Siamese  etiquette 
should  it  be  multiplied  and  sold  as  foreign  pictures 
were.  The  silver  coins  are  the  standard  of  weight  in 
the  lower  provinces,  the  rupee  in  the  Laos  states. 
Occasionally  one  of  the  gold  pieces  can  be  purchased, 
but  they  are  rare  and  bring  large  prices  by  coin  collec- 
tors, being  regarded  as  curiosities.  There  are  a  large 
number  of  counterfeits  in  circulation  among  the  bullet- 
shaped  coin,  owing  to  the  fact  that  a  number  of  years 
ago  the  master  of  the  mint,  unknown  to  the  King, 
manufactured  an  immense  number  of  copper  ticals,  and 


328  THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

being  an  adept  in  metallurgy  plated  them  with  silver, 
and  put  them  in  circulation.  He  was  arrested,  his 
property  confiscated,  and  I  was  informed  that  he  was 
still  in  jail,  a  prisoner,  but  demented.  The  Chinese 
have  also  put  a  large  number  of  bogus  coins  in  circu- 
lation. A  couple  of  years  since  the  Hong  Kong  and 
Shanghae  bank  commenced  the  issue  of  paper 
money  and  it  grew  rapidly  in  popular  favor,  as  paper 
is  so  much  easier  carried  than  weighty  silver,  and  it 
was  no  novel  sight  to  see  eight  or  ten  coolies  on  their 
way  to  the  banks  or  mercantile  houses  carrying  large 
sacks  of  silver  coin,  and  frequently  boat-loads  of  ticals- 
are  seen  on  their  way  up  the  river  to  pay  for  teak  and 
rice ;  and  cart-loads,  escorted  by  soldiers  on  their  way 
from  the  interior,  taxes  to  be  paid  into  the  royal  treas- 
ury, frequently  from  ten  to  fifteen  in  the  train,  all 
heavily  loaded,  each  drawn  by  a  couple  of  bullocks. 


XXXVI. 

THE  PEESS  OF  SI  AM. 

This  is  no  land  for  newspapers,  the  history  of  the 
press  of  Siam  is  a  novel  one.  There  are  now  two 
English  printed  papers  published  there,  the  Times, 
simi-weekly,  at  $20  per  annum,  and  the  Advertiser 
weekly,  at  $24  per  annum.  They  represent  the  two 
extremes,  one  favorable  to  the  Siamese,  the  other  in 
decided  opposition.  For  a  half  century  the  missiona- 
ries have  endeavored  to  keep  pace  with  the  times  by 
publishing  an  annual  calendar  and  newspapers.  By 
their  efforts  several  papers  have  been  started,  but  they 
somehow  have  always  been  brought  up  in  the  consular 
courts  charged  with  libel,  on  the  most  frivolous  pre- 
texts, and  suspended.  In  1864  a  Mr.  Chandler,  an 
American,  started  the  Siam  Times,  but  General  Part- 
ridge, our  consul,  not  liking  his  style,  the  Times  soon 
ceased  to  circulate.  Dr.  Bradley  then  started  ihsBang- 
~kok  Recorder ',  but  the  American  consul,  who  it  ap- 
pears did  not  like  newspapers,  at  the  conclusion  of  a  libel 
suit  brought  by  the  French  consul  against  the  Doctor 
decided  that  he  was  libelous  and  must  be  fined  because 
he  had  published  a  report  current  in  the  palace  that  the 
French  consul  had  demanded  the  removal  of  the  Prime 
Minister.  As  the  paper  was  not  paying  and  the  Doctor 
had  to  settle  the  bill,  he  concluded  that  running  a  paper 
was  not  a  part  of  his  mission,  and  the  Recorder  slept 
the  sleep  that  knows  no  awakening,  not  even  issuing  an- 
other number  to  record  its  demise.  The  Siam  Monitor 

329 


330  THE    PEATCL    OF    ASIA. 

then  sprung  up,  but  the  American  consul  having 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  Bangkok  was  an  unhealthy 
city  for  newspaper  enterprise  the  Monitor  went  out 
with  the  mango  showers.  Rev.  jSam  J.  Smith  then 
stepped  to  the  front  and  started  the  Slam  Weekly 
Advertiser,  which  he  continued  to  publish  for  seven- 
teen years,  more  as  an  advertising  sheet  than  a  dissem- 
inator of  news,  but  supposing  that  the  era  of  libel  had 
passed  he  was  startled  when  he  was  brought  up  by  a 
round  turn  and  met  the  fate  of  his  predecessors,  for 
when  he  was  called  on  to  pa}7  $1,500  by  the  English 
consul  for  publishing  a  communication  that  he  had  not 
written  or  even  endorsed,  not  libelous  in  a  general 
sense,  he  shut  up  shop  and  said  the  paper  could  go  to  a 
warmer  place  than  Siam,  that  the  proud  privilege  of 
running  a  paper  was  exhausting  his  exchequer  and  he 
would  have  no  more  of  it,  in  fact  it  had  never  paid. 
This  ended  the  efforts  of  the  missionaries  to  keep  up 
a  paper. 

Appreciating  the  power  of  the  press,  if  properly 
handled,  the  Siamese  officials  endeavored  to  keep  the 
Advertiser  afloat  by  offering  to  subscribe  for  one 
hundred  and  fifty  copies,  provided  that  they  would  be 
allowed  to  exercise  a  censorship  over  its  columns,  but 
the  proprietor  had  had  enough  of  glory  and  the  paper 
still  remains  with  the  honored  dead.  Then  an  eccentric 
genius,  a  cosmopolitan,  as  much  at  home  in  Paris  as  at 
Singapore,  who  had  had  some  experience  on  the  Hong 
Kong  papers,  drifted  into  Bangkok,  stood  in  with  the  Si- 
amese officials  and  now  publishes,  in  fact,  the  first  news- 
paper that  has  ever  been  published  in  the  city.  During  its 
existence  it  has  published  more  libelous  articles  than 
any  of  its  predecessors,  but  it  still  lives.  To  counteract 


THE   PEARL    OF   ASIA.  331 

its  influence  a  German,  who  had  a  grievance  with  the 
Siamese  government,  started  the  Mercantile  Gazette; 
he  made  things  hot  all  along  the  line,  made  his  paper 
readable,  but  he  was  soon  arrested  for  libeling  the 
Siamese  by  publishing  an  article  clipped  from  an 
English  paper  and  other  assaults  on  the  Ring.  He  was 
tried  before  the  German  consul,  fined  and  imprisoned  ; 
the  Gazette  then  shortly  followed  the  others,  his  specu- 
lation proved  a  failure,  but  another  paper  has  been 
started  with  the  same  material,  possibly  to  share  the 
same  fate. 

The  Siamese  have,  strictly  speaking,  no  regular  news- 
paper, only  a  Government  Gazette,  printed  in  Siamese, 
which  contains  court  proceedings,  proclamations,  cere- 
monies, promotions,  etc.,  containing  no  political  or 
other  news  of  importance,  and  has  but  a  limited  circu- 
lation. A  native  journal  was  started  by  Noi  Plang, 
a  well  educated  Siamese,  who  had  passed  a  very 
creditable  examination  at  the  English  bar  and  who  acts 
as  one  of  the  advisors  of  the  government.  His  paper 
was  rapidly  becoming  popular,  but  his  remarks  were 
trenching  on  dangerous  grounds,  in  fact  he  had  com- 
menced to  advocate  that  the  Chinese  were  becoming 
too  numerous  in  Siam,  which  was  something  that  His 
Majesty  thought  should  be  let  alone,  so  his  paper  ven- 
ture was  nipped  in  the  bud  just  as  it  was  blossoming 
out  into  usefulness.  Mr.  Smith,  the  editor  of  the 
defunct  Advertiser,  edits  and  publishes  a  Siamese 
paper  from  his  office  which  is  interesting  from  the 
native  correspondence  appearing  in  its  columns.  It 
has  no  life  in  it  and  is  but  little  read.  A  monthly 
journal  is  published  under  the  auspices  of  one  of  the 
leading  nobles,  which  aims  at  Western  ideas  in  its 


332  THE   PEARL   OF   ASIA. 

endeavors  to  give  the  current  news,  but  it  receives  but 
a  meager  support,  having  a  very  small  circulation. 
The  Siamese  are  great  readers,  but  it  is  the  most  trashy 
stuff,  strictly  oriental  and  frequently  of  the  most 
obscene  nature,  the  native  novels  abounding  in 
the  filthiest  stories  told  in  the  grossest  manner;  in  fact 
all  oriental  literature  is  of  that ,  nature,  but  highly 
poetical.  This  they  read  and  it  is  in  great  demand. 
Thousands  of  novels  of  this  character  are  printed  in 
Bangkok  which  find  ready  sale  at  good  prices.  A  col- 
lection of  Siamese  novels,  histories  and  other  works 
would  form  quite  a  library,  especially  their  religious 
works.  They  are  not  far  enough  advanced  to  appre- 
ciate newspapers,  caring  but  little  for  the  news  of  the 
outside  world. 


XXXVII. 

V 

A   VISIT  TO  PETCHABUKEE,  ITS  PALACE— 

THE  HOLY  MOUNTAIN  AND  LAOS 

TILLAGE. 

One  of  the  most  pleasant  trips  one  can  take,  if  time 
is  no  object,  while  on  a  visit  to  Siam,  is  to  the  ancient 
city  of  Petchaburee,  capital  of  the  province  of  that 
name.  The  route  thither  is  by  a  series  of  canals  and 
rivers,  thence  across  an  arm  of  the  lovely  gulf ;  the 
trip  generally  occupying  two  days,  which  is  accom- 
plished by  means  of  a  house-boat,  the  distance  being 
about  seventy-five  miles.  A  portion  of  the  scenery  is 
grand,  especially  that  on  the  coast  of  the  gulf  where 
small  mountains  and  pinnacles  stand  out  sharply  against 
the  bluest  of  skies,  but  most  of  it  along  the  canals  is 
monotonous,  the  wide  stretches  of  rice-fields  only 
broken  in  places  by  groves  of  palm  and  betel  trees  in 
which  are  nestled  the  whitest  of  wats  and  handsome 
salas.  When  the  shadows  of  night  fall  the  con  ruas, 
boat  boys,  tie  fast  to  some  sala,  prepare  dinner,  then 
the  mosquito  nets  are  stretched  and  as  the  darkness 
increases  the  trees  around  are  illuminated  by  millions  of 
fire-flies  flashing  their  light  together,  apparently  by  some 
preconcerted  arrangement ;  then  again  all  would  be 
gloom,  seemingly  the  work  of  the  genii  of  the  forest. 
On  this  route  you  pass  a  village  memorable  as  the  birth- 
place of  Chang  and  Eng,  the  well  known  Siamese 
twins.  In  many  places  monkeys  can  be  seen  playing  in 
the  branches  of  the  trees,  pelicans  standing  lazily  along 


334  THE   PEAKL    OF   ASIA. 

the  canals  and  now  and  then  a  flash  of  gleaming  color 
dazzles  the  eye  as  some  bird  of  gorgeous  plumage  flies 
from  tamarand  to  palm  or  nestles  in  the  emerald  foliage 
of  the  Bo  tree. 

At  every  village  are  canoes  laden  with  fruit,  rice, 
flowers,  with  other  articles,  for  sale,  the  loud  smelling 
durian  being  the  favorite  fruit,  selling  readily  at  from 
one  to  two  ticals.  At  early  morn,  having  drifted  down 
the  river,  we  raised  a  small  sail  and  started  across  the 
gulf,  the  mouth  of  the  Petchaburee  river,  with  its  fringe 
of  attap  palms  faintly  defined  on  the  distant  horizon. 
As  the  stars  slowly  faded  away  and  the  sun  came  up 
gilding  the  tremulous  waves  that  rocked  our  boat 
gently,  a  cool  breeze  filling  its  sail,  the  blue  outlines  of 
the  far-away  Burmese  mountains  plainly  visible,  it 
made  us  realize  that  this  was  indeed  a  favored  spot  for 
the  children  of  the  sun,  worthy  of  poet's  pen  or  painter's 
pencil,  our  hearts  filled  to  fullness  as  one  of  the  party 
sang  u  Nearer  my  God  to  Thee,"  and  as  the  words  of 
the  well-remembered  hymn  floated  out  over  the  waters 
we  all  appreciated  the  grandeur  of  the  scene,  that  here 
nature  had  poured  from  her  cornucopia  many  of  man's 
choicest  blessings,  an  Arcadian  retreat  of  supernal 
loveliness. 

Reaching  the  mouth  of  the  river  our  boys  rowed 
rapidly  up  stream  and  all  were  much  pleased  with  the 
scenery  along  its  meanderings,  most  of  the  time  pass- 
ing under  the  shade  of  majestic  trees  and  flowering 
vines,  the  air  heavy  with  its  weight  of  perfume,  while 
at  every  turn  could  be  seen  numbers  of  natives  sporting 
in  the  sparkling  water  which  was  as  limpid  as  a  dew- 
drop.  The  sun  had  well-nigh  reached  its  meridian  ere 
we  made  the  landing  that  led  to  the  abode  of  the  mis- 


THE   PEARL  OF   ASIA.  335 

sionaries.  Before  we  could  step  ashore  we  were  met 
with  a  most  cordial  greeting  from  Mr.  Dunlap  and 
family,  Dr.  Thompson  and  wife,  Misses  Cort  and  Small, 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  mission  at  Petchaburee, 
the  most  active  and  efficient  station  in  lower  Siam. 
They  have  fine  residences  and  lovely  grounds,  their 
compounds  are  a  wealth  of  flowers,  evincing  great  floral 
taste  and  skill.  Belonging  to  the  mission  is  a  sub- 
stantially built  church,  a  number  of  school  buildings, 
and  Dr.  Thompson  has  established  a  fine  hospital, 
subsidized  by  the  King.  Since  then  Dr.  Thompson  and 
family  have  moved  to  Ratburee,  farther  into  tLe  inter- 
ior, where  he  has  established  another  hospital.  The 
city  contains  about  20,0° 0  inhabitants,  is  the  home  of 
the  Governor,  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  Siam's 
nobles,  built  like  other  Siamese  cities,  mostly  bamboo 
houses,  some  handsome  palaces,  large  filthy  bazaars, 
ruined  temples  and  a  general  air  of  apathy  prevails 
throughout  the  whole  place.  The  river  passes  through 
the  center  of  the  city,  which  is  used  for  all  purposes. 
Some  of  the  modern  wats  are  large  and  handsome,  one 
containing  a  sleeping  Buddha  one  hundred  and  forty 
feet  in  length,  another  over  five  hundred  statues  of  the 
great  teacher,  of  life  size,  standing  and  sitting,  both  of 
whom  are  worthy  a  visit. 

The  Governor,  being  notified  that  I  was  in  the  city, 
called  on  me  with  all  the  style  and  ceremony  in  keeping 
with  these  magnates  and  kindly  placed  at  my  disposal 
a  carriage  so  that  I  could  visit  the  holy  mountain,  the 
King's  palace  and  a  Laos  village,  the  lions  of  the  place, 
which  was  accepted  in  the  most  courteous  manner, 
our  party  returning  the  visit  of  the  Governor  next 
morning  at  his  palace  where  we  were  received  most 


336  THE    PEARL    OF   ASIA. 

courteously  ;  tea,  cigars  and  cigarettes  being  tended  us. 
A  couple  of  days  travel  distant,  on  ponies,  are  a  num- 
ber of  hot  springs,  which  it  was  our  intention  to  visit, 
but  learning  that  a  fatal  fever  was  prevailing  in  the 
vicinity  we  were  forced  to  give  up  the  trip.  The  car- 
riage having  called  at  the  mission  for  us,  our  party  set 
out  for  the  holy  mountain,  about  two  miles  distant 
from  the  city,  over  a  well-kept  road  shaded  with  palms 
and  fringed  with  oleanders,  the  latter  growing  here 
from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  high.  The  mountain  is 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height,  apparently 
an  extinct  volcano,  hollow,  with  two  apertures  at  the 
top,  one  of  which  is  used  as  an  entrance,  a  long  flight 
of  stone  steps  leading  into  the  interior,  known  as  the 
"  Cave  of  Idols."  This  immense  vault  has  been  fitted 
up  as  a  temple,  its  floor  handsomely  tiled  and  statues 
of  Buddha  placed  everywhere  within  it,  one  for  each 
day  of  the  year,  several  of  them  of  immense  magnitude, 
five  persons  being  able  to  stand  at  once  on  the  thumb  of 
one  of  them.  In  niches  along  the  steps  were  placed  life- 
sized  figures  of  men,  made  of  clay,  flesh-colored,  intended 
to  represent  the  dead,  with  all  of  the  agony  of  dissolu- 
tion portrayed  on  their  features  and  distorted  limbs. 
Huge  stalactites  hang  like  pendants  from  the  roof, 
which  towers  about  two  hundred  feet  above,  the 
chamber  is  about  an  acre  in  extent  with  another  not 
used  branching  off  from  it.  The  largest  opening  in 
the  center  of  the  roof  lights  it  up  magnificently,  like 
the  Pantheon  at  Home.  It  is  one  of  the  most  unique 
temples  of  this  wonderful  land.  As  it  is  a  sylvan  soli- 
tude, quite  a  number  of  priests  resort  thither  for  medi- 
tation and  they  can  be  seen  squatting  beside  the  clay 


THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.  337 

figures,  typical  of  man's  dissolution,  the  living  almost 
as  callous  as  the  dead. 

Having  spent  several  hours  in  this  subterranean, 
temple,  we  drove  to  the  royal  palace,  situated  on  a  lofty 
hill  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  along  avenue  shel- 
tered with  palms  leading  to  it.  Keaching  the  base  of 
the  hill  we  dismounted  and  walked  over  a  wide  brick- 
paved  path  to  the  top,  a  winding  road,  passing  a  num- 
ber of  salas  used  for  the  reception  of  the  retainers  of 
His  Majesty  while  on  a  visit  to  this  regal  abode.  In 
some  of  the  salas  were  handsome  vehicles  in  the  last 
stage  of  dissolution,  a  number  of  rusty  cannon,  every- 
thing grown  up  with  dank  weeds,  while  on  the  stones 
large  lizzards  lay  basking  in  the  sun,  the  place  seeming- 
ly the  abode  of  venomous  serpents  ;  but  we  saw  none- 
and  were  thus  agreeably  disappointed.  The  path 
terminated  at  the  base  of  two  steep  stairways  with 
massive  stone  balusters,  which  led  to  several  two-story 
brick  buildings ;  then  came  the  private  apartments  of  the 
King's  nobles  with  wide  paved  terraces  and  extensive 
barracks.  On  the  summit  of  the  hill,  as  can  be  seen 
from  the  engraving,  is  situated  the  palace  proper,  com- 
prising the  royal  audience  hall,  chambers,  library,  a  wat 
and  an  observatory.  The  audience  chamber  was  barren 
of  ornaments,  is  about  seventy-five  feet  in  le'ngth  by 
forty  in  width  and  twelve  in  height.  At  one  end  is  a. 
semi-circular  dais,  consisting  of  four  marble  steps,  over 
it  the  royal  umbrella.  A  few  ordinary  pictures  hung 
on  the  walls,  while  a  handsome  chandelier  was  sus- 
pended from  the  ceiling.  The  palace  was  partially 
furnished,  it  only  being  occupied  at  long  intervals. 
From  the  observatory  a  grand  view  can  be  had  of  the 
surrounding  country.  As  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  is  a 


338  THE    PEARL    OF    ASIA.. 

vast  ocean  of  paddy  fields,  and  here  and  there  stand 
out  groves  of  bamboo  and  palm,  islands  in  a  waveless 
sea  of  verdure ;  to  the  west  the  Burmese  mountains 
hemmed  in  the  horizon,  while  away  off  to  the  South  an 
orient  sun  was  reflecting  back  its  glory  from  the  spark- 
ling waters  and  turning  into  gold  the  lateen  sails  of  the 
fishing  boats  that  lazily  floated  on  the  rim  of  the  far- 
away gulf,  a  panorama  not  to  be  excelled  in  beauty  in 
any  other  portion  of  our  planet.  A  scene  lovely  as  a 
poet's  dream,  nature's  choicest  handiwork. 

Tendering  the  polite  senechal  of  the  palace  a  silver 
coin,  we  were  soon  on  our  way  to  the  Laos  village,  a 
cluster  of  about  twenty  huts,  occupied  by  slaves  of  the 
King,  descendants  of  captives  in  war.  The  houses  are 
unlike  those  of  the  Siamese  ;  they  are  built  of  bamboo, 
two  stories  high,  thatched  with  attap  ;  the  lower  story 
is  used  for  a  stable  and  rubbish  generally,  the  upper 
entered  by  a  ladder  which  is  drawn  up  at  night,  for  all 
purposes  and  is  but  scantily  furnished,  in  fact  contained 
nothing  but  a  few  boxes  and  baskets  with  some  matting 
to  sleep  on.  The  houses  are  of  a  peculiar  cone  shape, 
like  the  bark  huts  of  some  of  our  Indians,  but  much 
larger.  A  center  pole  is  planted  in  the  ground  and  the 
roof,  that  comes  nearly  to  the  ground,  like  a  half -closed 
umbrella,  comprises  the  outside  of  the  house,  looking  at  a 
distance  like  a  huge  straw  stack.  Adjacent  to  these 
houses  Avere  a  number  of  sheds  where  the  women  did 
their  cooking  and  kept  their  looms  for  weaving  cloth, 
and  they  are  very  skillful,  making  handsome  panungs 
and  sarongs,  raising  their  own  silk  and  cotton.  The 
Laos  women  wear  a  peculiar  head-dress,  and  in  the  place 
of  the  panung  they  use  a  sarong,  a  garment  similar  to  a 
petticoat,  also  large  silver  ear-rings.  •  Some  of  their 


THE    PEARL   OF   ASIA.  339 

dresses  are  very  handsome,  embroidered  most  elabo- 
rately, and  no  Laos  maiden  is  allowed  to  marry  until 
she  has  made  a  full  and  complete  stock  of  clothing  for 
herself.  They  are  more  industrious  than  the  Siamese, 
and  are  considered  among  the  best  subjects  of  His 
Majesty.  Their  language  is  somewhat  similar  to  the 
Siamese,  but  the  letters  of  their  alphabet  are  entirely 
different.  Since  I  paid  this  village  a  visit  it  has  been 
entirely  destroyed  by  fire,  not  a  single  house  left :  but 
I  can  never  forget  the  kindness  of  its  people  nor  the 
pathetic  tales  they  told  of  the  capture  of  their  fore- 
fathers, yet  they  all  expressed  a  deep  devotion  to  the 
King,  for  whom  they  had  no  words  but  praise.  Ke- 
turning  to  Bangkok  I  took  nothing  with  me  but  the 
most  pleasant  reminiscences  of  this  trip  into  the  inte- 
rior, convinced  that  if  King  Chulalongkorn  is  allowed 
to  carry  out  his  plans  of  progress  for  the  development 
of  his  kingdom,  aided  by  his  nobles,  in  a  short 
time  Siam  will  become  one  of  the  most  prolific  coun- 
tries occupied  by  man,  for  it  would  seem  as  if  the  Om- 
nicient  has  showered  his  blessings  on  this  favored  king- 
dom with  a  lavish  hand,  making  it  indeed  The  Pearl  of 
Asia. 


THE  END. 


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